Reproduced in PDF fonn in Feb. 2010 by the Communist Voice Organization (www.communistvoice.org). See pages 69-71 for who we are and something about our current views. The Workers' Advocate WORKERS OF. ALL COUNTRIES, UNITEI THEORETICAL ISSUE soc VOICE OF THE MARXIST-LENINIST PARTY OF THE USA March 20,1984 Volume 14, Number 3 Our differences. with the Part, of labor of Albania This special issue of The Workers' Advocate is de­ the PLA on various world issues. voted to documents examining the stand and views of Our Party has active revolutionary solidarity with the the Party of Labor of Albania towards controversial PLA. In the U.S. it is our Party that rallies the workers questions in the international Marxist-Leninist .move­ in the factories and the revolutionary activists in the ment. It includes resolutions from the Second Congress mass movements in support of socialist Albania. In the of our Party. It includes documents from the internal U.S. it is our Party that fignts against "three world­ discussion that our Party has carried on for several ism," Maoism, Soviet revisionism and liquidationism years now on certain stands from the PLA that have and that popUlarizes the contributions the PLA has worried us. And it includes a selection of excerpts from made to international communism. the news bulletin of the Albanian Telegraphic Agency Continued on next page (AT A) that gives some idea of the present outlook of See OUR DIFFERENCES

RESOLUTION OF THE 2nd CONGRESS OF THE MLP,USA On the Role of the PLA in the ~ World Marxist-Leninist Movement The Second Congress expresses its revolutionary The Second Congress discussed the stands of the PLA solidarity with the Party of Labor of Albania and the fra­ on the vexed questions in the international Marxist­ ternal Albanian people. Socialist Albania stands defiant Leninist movement. Militant solidarity and fraternal in the midst of capitalist-revisionist encirclement. It is support does not mean mecQanically copying the stands today the only country in the world building socialism. of another party. On the contrary, proletarian inter­ Free of economic crisis, free of debt payments to the nationalism requires that all parties support what is international bankers, free of the aggressive military right and criticize what is wrong in the stand of other blocs, free of capitalists, landlords, racists and mili­ parties. Only thus can the parties truly learn from each tarists, Albania stands as an example of what the other's experience, and only thus can they be regarded working people can accomplish when they stand up in as truly linked in the revolutionary cause. In this revolution and persist on the socialist road. spirit, the Second Congress assessed both. the immortal The Party of Labor of Albania, as the only Marxist­ accomplishments of the PLA and the weaknesses in its Leninist party that is presently in power, has an impor­ present stands. tant position in the world Marxist-Leninist movement. Continued on page 8 OUR DIFFERENCES not seriously speak of support of socialism in Albania or Continued from front page of defense of the interests of the international Marxist­ Leninist movement unless one makes the most serious The Second Congress of our Party reaffirmed this and p~instaking study of the lessons taught by the his­ historic stand. It evaluated highly the historic contribu­ tory and views of the PLA, assimilating what is correct tions of the PLA. And it held that it is the responsibility and criticizing what is wrong. of all class conscious workers and communists to up­ Our differences with the PLA concern its stands on hold and defend socialist countries wherever they exist, current events and various of its views of the last and that socialist Albania is today the only genuinely several years on the strategy and tactics for the inter­ socialist country in the world. The Second Congress national Marxist-Leninist movement. held that the example of socialist life inspires the The opening years of the 1980' s have seen many workers aU around the world, showing that it is possible vexed questions and controversies arise inside the to live without exploiters, racists and militarists. international Marxist-Leninist movement. These dis­ But the Second Congress also stressed that defense agreements, taken as a whole, concern basic questions of socialism in Albania does not mean repeating every­ of revolutionary work and analysis. The powerful impe­ thing that the PLA says, good or bad. No, true defense tus developing in the international movement in the of socialism requires something far more arduous and · latter 1970's at the height of the struggle against far more valuable. It requires work to push forward the Chinese revisionism has been largely dissipated. The proletarian revolutionary movement. Lenin, ever the international Marxist-Leninist movement has not been stalwart champion of proletarian internationalism, able to fight with sufficient vigor against the diverse taught that: rightist, revisionist and liquidationist forces that seek to "There is one, and only' one, kind of real inter­ destory it; in fact, liquidationist and petty-bourgeois nationalism, and that is - working wholeheartedly nationalist views have had some influence inside the for the development of the revolutionary move­ international Marxist:Leninist movement. How the ment and the revolutionary struggle in one's own present controversies are resolved will affect for some country, and supporting (by propagand~, sym­ time to come whether the international Marxist­ pathy, and material aid) this struggle, this, and Leninist movement regains its revolutionary mo­ only this, line, in every country without excep­ mentum or suffers further setbacks. tion. " (From pt. 16 of "The Tasks of the Prole­ In this situation the PLA has been, in the early tariat in Our Revolution, Draft Platform for the 1980's, advocating wrong answers to the controversial Proletarian Party," Collected Works, Vol. , 24, questions in the international Marxist-Leninist move­ p.75) ment. It has retreated from its militant stand of the lat­ It is clear that such internationalist work to build the ter 1970's. In the latter 1970's the PLA defied the pres­ revolutionary movement mqst be conscious work. This sure of the imperialist-revisionist world and of Chinese requires that every Marxist-Leninist party, every com­ revisionist blackmail in order to open up the period of munist, every class conscious worker and revolutionary the worldwide condemnation ~f the "three worlds" activist, study for themselves the basic questions of theory and Maoism. The major publicatiohs of the PLA political strategy and tactics and support what is had an electrifying effect on the international Marxist­ revolutionary and criticize what is mistaken. One can- Leninist movement. Althought even then there were

The ,Workers' Advocate

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2 • certain weaknesses in the stands of the PLA, neverthe­ views must be accepted on faith, and no parties whose less the PLA played a leading role in urging the entire only role is to applaud at the prompting of others. world movement forward. But now, in the early years Instead all parties and Marxist-Leninist communists ofthe 1980's, the PLA has failed to carry the struggle around the world must take full and conscious part in against revisionism through to the end. As a result, its settling the questions of revolutionary strategy and views and actions have degenerated. tactics. Therefore, it is necessary to soberly evaluate the Our Party is working in various ways to strengthen present weaknesses in the stands of the PLA as part of the international Marxist-Leninist movement. We have the struggle to resolve the differences within and thrown ourselves heart and soul into fighting the vari­ strengthen the international Marxist-Leninist move­ ous revisionist currents; we have enthusiastically car­ ment. ried news about the views and activities of other par­ Our Party has tried repeatedly to clarify the issues at ties and fervently supported the revolutionary move­ stake through private discussions with the PLA, but ment in their countries; we have taken part in or sup­ this has proved unsuccessful. The PLA has been unwill­ ported the various international meetings and rallies; ing to have discussions on a true basis of equality and un­ we have worked hard to develop contact at various willing to ponder seriously criticisms of itself. We have levels with other parties; and we have pondered the also kept close watch on how other Marxist-Leninist controversial issues as they have arisen. The Second parties were dealing with the controversial issues. At Congress of our Party came to the conclusion that, in the Second Congress of our Party, we summed up years order to help resolve these issues, it is essential to of paying special attention to the question of the norms speak openly and publicly on our views of the present of relations between parties. We studied the Leninist stands of the PLA. This issue of The Workers' Advocate teachings on this question and we evaluated the recent is devoted to opening this discussion. experience of the international Marxist-Leninist move­ ment. Our general conclusions are contained in the On the Present World Situation resolution entitled "On the Relations Between the Marxist-Leninist Parties." Furthermore, the Second The world situation in the early 1980's has its own Congress also held that, at this time, the Leninist particular characteristics. The world crisis of capitalism method of resolving the differences and of mobilizing (both Western capitalism and revisionist-style capital­ all communists and class conscious workers to decide ism) is deepening, undermining the economic and poli­ the vital issues of revolutionary work requires a public tical stability of the former strongholds of imperialism discussion of the stands of the PLA, the weaknesses as and reaction. But, at the same time, although revolu- well as the accomplishments. It should be borne in mind that the views and actions of the PLA on world events and on the affairs of the IN THIS ISSUE international Marxist-Leninist movement - just as the overall work and stands of other parties - cannot be From the resolutions of the 2nd Congress regarded as simply the private concern of Albanians. of the MLP This would mean to deny that the Marxist-Leninist • Solidarity with socialist Albania ...... 11 movement is a world movement, to deny that the study • Salute the Marxist-Leninists of the PLA's views and experience has had a world of the world ...... ' ...... 12 significance, and to deny the important role that • Work for the strengthening of the socialist countries must always play in the world pro­ international Marxist-Leninist letarian movement. Or it would mean to give the PLA movement ...... 12 a special position above criticism. In either case, it • On relations between Marxist- would, in effect, ban any thorough discussion of the Leninist parties ...... 14 present differences in the international Marxist­ On comrade Enver Hoxha's speech of Leninist movement. November 10,1982 ...... 17 But communists must not shy away from the dis­ On comrade Enver Hoxha's report to the cussion of the controversial issues in the international 8th Congress of the PLA of movement; instead they must tackle them head on. November, 1981 ...... 32 And this discussion of the differences in the inter­ Reference material from the national Marxist-Leninist movement must take place Albanian press ...... 44 according to the principles that the PLA itself once put forward: There must be no division of the Marxist­ Extracts from comrade Enver Hoxha's speech of November 10, 1982 ...... 59 Leninist parties into leaders and followers. There must be no parties that stand above criticism and whose 3 don marches forward in various individual countries, organizing, fighting, suffering persecution and giving the world situation is still characterized overall by the their lives heroically all around the world. But you capitalist-.re~isionist offensive, which poses many dan­ wouldn't know it from the Albanian press. gers. The proletariat and toiling masses are, as well, Another striking example' of Albanian passivity is . facing tremendous difficulties in getting organized and Central America. The ground is burning under the feet in overcoming the leaden weight of the reformists and of U.S'. imperialism and the local exploiters in EI Sal­ revisionists and other opportunist trends. China's al­ vador, the Nicaraguan people continue to defy U.S. im­ liance with imperialism and other factors help disorgan­ perialism and the counter-revolutionary plots of the ize the masses and have a depressing effect on world local big bourgeoisie, and a tenacious struggle contin­ politics. ues on a smaller scale elsewhere in Central America. The revolutionary movement can and will overcome Yet the PLA doesn't campaign for the world's people to these obstacles. The continual fiascos of imperialism support the struggle in Central America, nor does it and social-imperialism, and the revolutionary upsurges discuss the lessons of the struggle and work to help the that k«ep breaking out, all point to the fact that it is the peoples of Central America free themselves from the world proletarian movement which will ultimately social-democrats, revisionists and other opportl\nists. step forward with giant strides. But the forces of revo­ Instead, ATA has praised the role of th~ Mexican gov­ lutionary Marxism-Leninism have to judge the present ernment towards this region, which means to praise world situation both soberly and confidently, take ac­ the Mexican big bourgeoisie which stands 'at the head count of its specific features and of the particular forms of the counter-revolutionary schemes of the Contadora that the ml!-SS struggle is now taking, and set bold but group. And in so far as the Albanian press takes notice sound plans and policies to build the revolutionary of Nicaragua, it completely ignores the class struggle in movement and transform the present situation. Nicaragua and the role of their fraternal Marxist-Lenin­ ist comrades. The PLA is similarly passive about the mass strug­ Some Features of the Weaknesses In gles elsewhere in Latin America, the upsurge in the the Present Stands of the PLA Philippines, and so forth. It barely mentioned the mass upsurge against imperialist war preparations in The PLA appears to have a difficult time dealing with the imperialist metropolises. And more examples could this situation. It does not seem to understand how to be given. take advantage of the revolutionary factors in today's Nowadays, instead of highlighting the class struggle situation which counteract the difficulties and obsta­ and the revolution, the Albanian press and diplomacy cles. The revolutionary struggle does not proceed in a appears to be involved in accommodating itself to the straight line; it suffers setbacks; and, in times like existing political situation in various countries. The these, it often seems that the struggle takes one step PLA now praises a wide variety of bourgeois regimes forward only to subsequently take two steps back. Yet, and especially looks to the forces of petty-bourgeois and for all that, the revolutionary class struggle keeps bourgeois nationalism. Insofar as the PLA actually car­ breaking out to defy the imperialists, who announce in ries this out, it is the same kind of abandonment of the vain, for the one-millionth time, that "Marxism-Lenin­ standpoint of the revolutionary class struggle as the ism is dead." reformists usually justify under the guise of "practical But the PLA seems to have lost its bearings. A char­ politics" and "realism." The PLA does not use such acteristic feature of the Albanian press is that, in the crude justifications directly in its press, but, in essence, 1980' s, it has lost track of the revolution. It does not do its reasoning appears to amount to the same thing. much to exploit the revolutionary events of our times An extreme example of the weaknesses of the PLA's and is altogether silent on many developments. stands can be seen in its attitude towards Turkey, Iran A particular example ofthe present Albanian passivi­ and Argentina. These examples are dealt with repeat­ ty is the PLA's stand on the international Marxist-Len­ edly in the documents in this issue of The Workers' Ad­ inist movement. While in the latter 1970's the PLA vocate. championed the new Marxist-Leninist parties and In Iran, the PLA at first gave vigorous support to the stepped up their encouragement for these parties, in revolution that overthrew the Shah and brought out the the early 1980's the Albanian press seems to have al­ role of the proletariat. But the Iranian revolution en­ most losfinterest in the international Marxist-Leninist countered sharp obstacles. The Khomeini regime con­ movement. When it mentions the Marxist-Leninist par­ solidated itself and eventually became a full-fledged ties, its emphasis tends to be on pointing out that the regime of counter-revolutionary butchers. Meanwhile world's Marxist-Leninists support Albania. the PLA abandoned the stand of the revolutionary In fact, the international Marxist-Leninist movement struggle of the toilers and began an intense campaign is. alive and active, and Marxist-Leninist activists are in favor of the Khomeini regime. To this day, it identi- 4 fies the Iranian revolution with the counter-revolution­ ing Chinese revisionism. Future issues of The Workers' ary Khomeini regime. It accommodates itself to the Advocate will go further into the question of some of presently existing political reality in Iran rather than the roots for the present weaknesses of the PLA's uphold the interest ofthe Iranian toilers. And it pays no stands. The PLA does not use the particular Chinese attention in its press to the fate of the fraternal Iranian formulations, not has it allied with one superpower Marxist -Leninists. against another. Despite the PLA's recent toning down Turkey is one of the longstanding weaknesses of Al­ of the struggle against the imperialism of the lesser im­ banian policy. In the early 1980's the PLA has gone all­ perialist powers, it has not entered any alliance with out to embrace the Turkish military dictators. The Alba­ them either. the similarity between the PLA's mistakes nian Telegraphic Agency has more coverage of Turkey and "three worldism" takes place because all stands than any other area of the world. It ignores altogeth­ that downplay the class struggle and obscure the revo­ er the suffering of the Turkish people and of the frater­ lution have certain basic features in common. nal Turkish Marxist-Leninists. It has held aloof from This vividly shows the danger of failing to carry the world campaigns of protest against the executions of struggle against Chinese revisionism and Maoism progressive people and Marxist-Leninists by the Turk­ through to the end. The fact is that the stands of the ish butchers._This is a blatant example of accommoda­ PLA, even at their best in the height of the struggle tion to the existing political situation at the expense of against the "three worlds" theory and Chinese revi­ the revolution. sionism, had certain weaknesses. Had thePLA contin­ The reactionary war between the British imperial­ ued the struggle against the' 'three worlds" theory and ist robbers and the Argentine fascist generals over the Maoism, it would have step by step strengthened its Malvinas (Falkland) Islands in 1982 was an extreme ex­ positions. It had before it the same general task that ample of replacing revolution with the search for some faced the other Marxist-Leninist parties, of rectifying nationalism to support. For the PLA, the only question weaknesses in the light of the advances made in the that counted was who owned the Malvinas Islands. It struggle against Chinese revisionism. Instead the PLA utterly ignored the standpoint of the struggle of the Ar­ and Comrade Enver Hoxha repeatedly stressed that the gentine people for revolution. It ignored its own words, PLA's line had no problems in it. It is true that the PLA in Imperialism and the Revolution, about revolution had a revolutionary 1!istory and that it was important to being the order of the day for most of the countries in refute the fairy tale of the defenders of Maoism that .Latin America, even though the whole world knew that everyone had followed the Chinese revisionists into the the Argentine gener~ls had declared war in order to swamp. But it was going too far when the PLA simply prevent an imminent revolutionary upsurge. denied any weaknesses at all in their views and sug­ The PLA's vacillation towards replacing the class gested that other parties may have made mistakes, but struggle with ,petty-bourgeois and bourgeois national­ never the PLA. ism is shown in its attitude to Europe. It has separated In fact, the PLA could not take the struggle against the struggle against the superpowers from the strug­ the "three worlds" theory and Maoism beyond a cer­ gle against the European bourgeoisie. Its press is full of tain point unless it reexamined some of its views and talk of the "independence" of various European re­ actions. Hence the PLA only took the struggle against gimes - and even refers to the need to uphold Europe­ Chinese revisionism so far. On the question of the an culture, langpage, civilization, etc. - from the "third world," for example, it put forward a number of superpowers. correct and valuable criticisms of the "three worlds" theory. But it never worked out what these general rev­ The Danger of Not Carrying the olutionary principles would mean in detail for the strug­ gle of the proletariat and its party in these countries, Struggle Against the and the PLA even left a loophole I in its criticism of 'Three Worlds' Theory and Maoism "third worldism" with various cryptic remarks about Through to the .End progressive leaders of some unnamed countries. Finally, the PLA called a halt to any deeper investi­ One of the striking features of these errors in the gation of the errors of "three worldism" altogether. stands of the PLA is their resemblance to the notorious This was formalized at the 8th Congress of the PLA in "three worlds" theory of the Maoists. The abandon­ November 1981, where Comrade Enver Hoxha's Report ment of the standpoint of the class struggle, the praise failed to sum up the struggle of the international Marx­ of various "third world" regimes, and the flirtation' . ist-Leninist movement against the Chinese revisionists with petty-bourgeois and bourgeois nationalism in the . and put forward the next ta'Sks in this struggle. Instead "second world" are reminiscent ofthe similar errors of Comrade Enver suggested that the struggle against the the "three worlds" theory. ' "three worlds" theory was over and done with because Of course this does not mean that the PLA is follow- the Chinese formulations had become discredited. 5 This, presumably, is the meaning of his statement that: On the Socialist System in Albania "At one time, the Chinese theory of 'three worlds' also emerged.... But it melted away like salt crystals in Despite the weaknesses in the present stands of the water. It was played as a trump card, but was very PLA on world events and on the orie:mtation for the in­ quickly overtrumped. " Nor did Comrade Enver see any ternational Marxist-Leninist movement, the PLA con­ need to continue the evaluation of the difficulties that tinues to build socialism inside Albania. Albania is not had occurred in the course of the struggle against So­ entangled with foreign imperialism nor has it disman­ viet revisionism, an evaluation that had begun with the tled the socialist system. On the contrary, it has sur­ denunciation of Maoism. Apparently, the' PLA believed vived without crisis despite the world crisis engulfing that an the theoretical issues were already solved. all the capitalist and revisionist countries. In our view, the failure to carry the struggle against The socialist character of Albania is the basis which Chinese revisionism through to the end is a source of makes it possible for the PLA to correct its errors in the many problems plaguing the international Marxist­ future. At the same time, these weaknesses and errors Leninist movement. It was and is necessary not just to pose a danger for the positions of socialism in Albania. discredit some Chinese formulations and to · " over­ It poses the threat of a loss of revolutionary vigilance on trump" the Chinese leadership, but to reestablish the the internal front, corresponding to that .with respect to correct line for the class struggle and return to the revo­ world events. Therefore it is all the more important for lutionary principles of the Marxist-Leninist classics. It the true friends of Albania and the PLA to soberly eval­ is necessary to see that, while certain of the particular uate the stands of the PLA in order to provide fraternal Maoist ways of formulating the "three worlds" theory proletarian internationalist support. may indeed by discredited, the general opportunist ideas behind the "three worlds" theory have found favor in opportunist and even bourgeois circles and can Material for the Study of the. onty be counteracted by a protracted struggle. Stands of the PLA One result of the failure to carry the struggle against "three worldism" and Maoism through to the end is This issue of The Workers' Advocate contains many the tendency to reduce the repudiation of "three world­ important materials for the study of the weaknesses in ism" to that one must oppose both superpowers, in­ the present stands of the PLA. To begin with, it con­ stead of allying with one against the other. Allying with tains the unanimous resolution of the Second Congress one superpower against the other was simply the last of our Party entitled' 'The Role of the PLA in the World stage of degeneration of the "three worlds" theory. In Marxist-Leninist Movement." This resolution is pub­ fact, the Chinese Communist Party was corroded by lished for the first time. various "three worldist" ideas for years before Nixon This issue also contains previously internal materials visited China in 1972 or Qeng Xiaoping gave his infa­ which give a glimpse ofthe detailed study of the stands mous speech of 1974 which spelled out the "three of the PLA which has proceeded inside our Party. The worlds" theory in full detail. Even when the Chinese bulk of two internal bulletins is reproduced. One of leadership had been fighting both superpowers, its these bulletins discusses the 8th Congress of the PLA. stand was weakened and undermined by the false ideas Written a month after the 8th Congress, it notes that ' of "three worldism." Yet, whenever the struggle the PLA was no longer playing the role in the world against "three worldism" and Chinese revisionism is movement that it was after the famous 7th Congress of toned down, a tendency appears to reduce opposition to the PLA. The second bulletin, written a year later, dis­ "three worldism" to denunciation of both superpow­ cusses Comrade Enver's major speech of November 10, ers. But "three worldism" includes other profound er­ 1982. It points out that this speech verifies that the PLA rors such as downplaying or utterly negating the inter­ was giving wrong answers to the vexed questions of nal class struggle in the dependent and oppressed the international Marxist-Leninist movement and was countries, putting forward petty-bourgeois and bour­ insisting on precisely those poin~s of Comrade Enver's geois-nationalist answers to the questions of revolution­ Report to the 8th Congress that were wrong. Both bul­ ary strategy, negating the role of the Marxist-Leninist letins discuss the views of the PLA on .a wide range of parties, and so forth. If these issues aren't dealt with, world issues. opposition to the two superpowers may become nothing As well, there is a selection of materials from the Al­ • but an empty phrase. Indeed, in its original form, banian press on recent world events. This collection "three worldism," played with the phrase "opposition provides further illustration of the stands of the PLA. to the superpowers" precisely for the purpose of negat­ Finally, the public discussion by our Party, in this is­ ing the Marxist-Leninist teachings on class struggle, sue of The Workers' Advocate, of our differences with socialist revolution, and so fo~h. the PLA brings up the question of the norms that should govern relations between Marxist-Leninist parties. 6 This question occupied the attention ofthe Second Con­ "dogmatism"; in fact, it is the accomplishrrl.ent of the gress of our Party. We reprint from the January 1 issue PLA that it led a struggle in favor of the Marxist­ of The Workers' Advocate the resolution of the Second Leninist principles. Its weakness is not that it went too Congress entitled "On the Relations Between the far, but that it has failed to carry this through to the Marxist-Leninist Parties" and part of the resolution en­ end. rttled "Work for the Strengthening of the International Thus, despite the semi-anarchist theorizing that it Marxist-Leninist Movement." now engages in to give a revolutionary-sounding cover to Maoism, the RCP,USA, in its attitude to Albania, in its stands on the workers' movement and other ques­ Down With the Maoist Critique tions of revolutionary work, in its negation of the Marx­ of the PLA ist-Leninist principles, etc. is unable. to disasso'ciate it­ selffrom "three worldism," albeit a "three worldism" We had also intended to carry an article denouncing of the old type which postures against both super-. the rotten standpoint of the Maoist Revolutionary powers. This teaches the lesson thatin so far as one ad­ Communist Party, USA towards the PLA; instead we heres to Maoism, no matter of how purified and refined shall carry it in a future issue. The RCP,USA is an ex­ a variety, one will remain in thrall to revisionism and ample of the "left" wing of Maoism; it denounces the opportunism. post-Mao Chinese leadership. But, in order to defend Our Party criticizes Albania from the diametrically Maoism, the RCP,USA has had to denigrate the signifi­ opposite point of view as the RCP,USA and the Mao­ cance ofthe struggle against the "three worlds" theory ists. We uphold the classic teachings of Marxism-len­ and to twist and tum in its assessment of "three world­ inism, while they regard this as "dogmatism." We up­ ism." hold socialist Albania and its historical accomplish­ As a result, its criticism of the PLA has been less ments, while they curse and slander Albania. fu this than worthless. It rabidly attacked the PLA in order to issue of The Workers' Advocate we reprint the resolu­ save the reputation of Mao. It copied the most shame­ tion of the Second Congress entitled "Solidarity With less antics of the more forthright "three worlders" in Socialist Albania, the Only Genuinely Socialist Country cursing the PLA, denying the socialist character of Al­ in the World Today." bania and lying about the PLA. It echoed the slanders Our Party has learned much from the PLA and social­ of the unabashed "three worlders" that the PLA, or ist Albania. We dedicate our criticism not only to re­ anyone who fought hard against "three worldism," solving the vexed questions of the international Marx­ must be going pro-Soviet. ist-Leninist movement, but also to helping strengthen Today the basic standpoint of RCP's criticism of the the PLA. As the Second Congress of our Party declared PLA remains defense of Maoism. It criticizes the PLA in the resolution entitled "The Role of the Party of la­ for going too far in its denunciation of the "three bor of Albania in the World Marxist-Leninist Move­ worlds" theory; in fact, it is the historic accomplish­ ment": ment of the PLA that it opened up the period of the "True friends are not those who stand by and let worldwide condemnation of the "three worlds" theory things slide, but whose who, at whatever risk to and Maoism. The actual weakness of the PLA is not themselves, speak the truth .... The Second Con­ that it went too far, but that it has failed to carry this gress declares fervently that our Party will stand, struggle through to the end. It criticizes the PLA for as always, arm in arm with the Albanian com­ having set forth various basic principles of Marxism­ rades. It will combine militant solidarity with the Leninism on socialist revolution, party building, and so principled discussion of the burning issues of the forth, something which the RCP,USA regards as world Marxist-Leninist movement." 0

7 On the role of the PLA in the world Marxist-Leninist movement Continued from front page areas in Yugoslavia and attempting to annex the coun­ try of Albania and turn it into the seventh republic of Our Party has learned much from the stands of the Yugoslavia. But the PLA fought back against Yugo­ PLA and the history of its struggle. slav revisionism. Although almost half of all Albanians When the PLA, then called the Communist Party of lived in areas annexed to Yugoslavia, the PLA did not Albania, was founded in 1941, a new era opened for the fight from narrow nationalist positions and refused to Albanian people. The long-struggling Albanian work­ convert the controversy into a border dispute. Instead ing people rose up and obtained historic revolutionary the PLA fought on the principled issues of socialism victories. The Albanian toilers, led by their Marxist­ and Marxism-Leninism. Leninist party, the PLA, broke through the chains of The PLA was also faced by the monstrous betrayal of world capitalism and reaction. Their victories show the the Khrushchovite revisionists. The Soviet revisionists, strength that the working masses possess when they the Khrushchovs, Brezhnevs and Andropovs, were and are led by a genuine communist party, when they take are enemies of revolution and socialism. The Khrush­ the road of revolution, and when they are inspired by chovite betrayal threatened the very existence of inter­ the Marxist-Leninist teachings. national communism. In this dangerous situation, the Albania is only a tiny country. Yet, in World War II, PLA resolutely defended Marxism-Leninism despite the Albanian toilers rose up in struggle against the the brutal pressure of the Khrushchovites, the threats, Italian fascists, the German Nazis, and the internal slanders, backroom gossip, blackmail and outright reaction and defeated them all. They safeguarde·d their blockades. Then, as now, anyone who opposed the liberation through standing firm against the attempts of Khrushchovites and stood consistently for principle the U.S. and British imperialists to steal the fruits of was denounced as dogmatic, sectarian, hot-blooded, the people's victories and return Albania to the grip of isolated and agents of imperialism. But the Albanians internal reaction. The Albanian people had stood upl didn't flinch and they knew that it was revisionism that After World War II, although Albania then had the would be isolated. In November 1960, as the struggle most backward economy in Europe and moreover had heated up, Comrade Enver Hoxha told Andropov to been devastated by the fascist occupation and the war, "tell Khrushchov that whether Albania is a socialist the Albanian workers and peasants steadfastly em­ country or not does not depend on Khrushchov, but has barked upon the road of socialism. They followed up the been decided by the Albanian people themselves victory of the anti-fascist national liberation war with through the wars they have fought and the blood they the proletarian revolution. Step by step they built up have shed." Several days later Enver told Khrushchov Albania into the socialist country it is today, a country that "we have fought empty-bellied and barefooted, with a modern economy and without the exploitation of but (we) have never kowtowed to anybody." man by man. The PLA played a major role in unmasking the The PLA could only lead the Albanian people to ac­ Khrushchovites and initiating the open struggle on a complish these marvels because it stood firm against world scale against the Soviet revisionists. Since then, the revisionist betrayal. Immediately after World War the PLA has never looked back, and it has fearlessly II, the PLA was faced with the plots of the Yugoslav opposed the various centrist schemes of reconciliation revisionists, who wished to drag Albania into the with Soviet revisionism. The PLA's stand encouraged abyss with them. Tito and his cohorts betrayed the the revolutionary Marxist-Leninists worldwide. It socialist revolution and, within several years, joined the contributed immensely to the formation of the new Western imperialist bloc. They acted particularly Marxist-Leninist parties. The PLA set before the world brutally towards Albania, savagely suppressing the the magnificent revolutionary perspective of rebuilding people of Albanian nationality in Kosova and other the international communist movement "without the 8 • revisionists and traitors and in resolute struggle against toilers. Yet the Albanian government lavishes praise on them," as Enver put it at the Sth Congress of the PLA. Turkey, exchanges cultural delegations and closes its The PLA also ushered in the period of the worldwide eyes to the fascist butchers at the he~m of state in exposure of the "three worlds" theory and Maoism. Turkey , Such works as Enver Hoxha's Report to the Seventh The Argentine fascist generals are infamous hang­ Congress of the PLA. the Zeri i Popullit article "The men who are notorious for their death squads and tor­ Theory and Practice of the Revolution" and Enver's ture chambers. Yet the PLA supported the military ad­ books Imperialism and the Revolution and Reflections venture of these same Argentine generals over the on China had a truly liberating effect inside the inter­ Falkland Islands (the Malvinas). The PLA took the national Marxist-Leninist movement. Our Party learned stand that the only question was who owned these tiny much from the bold stand of the PLA in this period. . islands, and it thus abandoned the standpoint of the As a result of its stand against the revisionist degen­ revolutionary struggle of the Argentine people. Instead eration of the Chinese leadership and in support of of condemning both sides in this criminal, bloodletting, Marxist-L.eninist principle, the PLA was the interna­ both the British imperialist robbers and the Argentine tional rallying point for the world Marxist-Leninist move­ militarists, the PLA spoke up repeatedly in favor of the ment. It inspired and spurred on the world movement. side ofthe Argentine generals. It called for carrying the struggle against revisionism These stands are also manifest in the PLA' s attitude through to the end. It stressed the role of the new towards Europe. The PLA has detached the question Marxist-Leninist parties around the world. It stood up of the struggle against the superpowers from the in­ against conciliation to imperialism and reactionary re­ ternal class struggle. This has given rise to a toning gimes. It served as a beacon for ah all-round revolution­ down ofthe struggle against the bloodstained imperial­ ary stand. ism of the capitalist powers of Europe. It has also re­ But the first years of the 1980's have seen various sulted in the PLA lauding such countries as Sweden, weaknesses in the stand of the PLA come to the fore. Switzerland and Austria as examples of independence Even previously and in its best works, the PLA's stand and democracy in Europe. And Albania has recently showed certain weaknesses. The PLA was faced with praised revisionist Romania, which it formerly de­ the same task as the other parties were, the task' of car­ nounced as the "card-castle" of anti-revisionism in rying the struggle against revisionism thro~gh to the Europe, as a,country with an independent policy that is end and of strengthening its stands and rectifying any making social progress. All this amounts to vacillating weaknesses. Instead, the PLA halted halfway in the towards a petty-bourgeois nationalist answer to the struggle to reconstruct the international Marxist-Lenin­ question of revolutionary work in Eur9pe. ist movement on solid foundations, purified of the cor­ The publications of the PLA have, in the last few rosion of Chinese revisionism. As a result, the PLA's years, fallen rather silent in their coverage of the class stands on various questions degenerated. This change struggle in other countries and of the international was apparent at the 8th Congress of the PLA, in 1981, Marxist-Leninist movement. Instead, these publica­ and this backsliding has become more accentuated tions search for non-proletarian forces to promote, and since then. they look especially to the forces of petty-bourgeois and These weaknesses in the stands of the PLA concern bourgeois nationalism rather than to the class struggle. the orientations it ~ets forth for the international Marx­ They have recently done little to highlight the revolu­ ist-Leninist movement. They can be seen in extreme tionary events of our day, to draw out the militant les­ form in the stands of Albanian foreign policy towards sons from these events, and to' elaborate the Marxist­ Iran, Turkey and Argentina. Leninist teachings on how to strengthen the struggle The PLA's original stand towards the Iranian revolu­ with respect to these events. tion caused much excitement. Albanian stood boldly The PLA has many historic accomplishments to its against world reaction in support of the revolutionary credit. But the various weaknesses in the present stand upsurge in Iran. But, since then, the PLA has come out of the PLA are not part of its merits; on the contrary, fully behind the IRP-Khomeini regime, and it has de­ the PLA's merits are valuable and worthy of study nounced the popular resistance to Khomeini as im­ despite the weaknesses. The mistakes of the PLA with perialist plots. Even though the Khomeini government respect to the vexed questions of today cannot be ig- is no longer a government balancing between the revo­ . nored or regarded simply as a matter of interest only to lution and the counter-revolution, but is now a straight­ Albanians, for the PLA is a party with an important role forward government of hangmen of the revolution, the in the world movement. All parties must learn from the PLA has continued to support it. stands of the PLA, both from the positive experience of The Turkish regime is a barbarous cabal of military the bold and revolutionary stands ~nd from the nega­ strongmen and notorious fascists, a regime which has tive experience of the mistakes and weak stands. made the ground run red with the blood of the Turkish Furthermore, it is the proletarian internationalist 9 duty of all true communists to give fraternal support to way to truly study and learn from the Albanian commu­ the Albanian comrades. The weaknesses in the PLA's nists. The Second Congress thus holds that, sometime stands harm the position of socialism in Albania. True in the next period of time after the Congress, The friends are not those who stand by and let things slide, Workers' Advocate should begin a public discussion of but those who at whatever risk to themselves, speak the Albanian stands, the exact timing of which is to be the truth. decided by the Central'Committee. For these reasons, the Second Congress decided that The Second Congress declares fervently that our Par­ the Marxist-Leninist Party of the USA must speak ty will stand, as always, arm in arm with the Albanian openly and directly on its views concerning the answers comrades. It will combine militant solidarity with the the PLA is giving to the vexed questions of the present­ principled discussion of the burning issues of the world day international Marxist-Leninist movement. This is Marxist-Leninist movement. important both to defend the revolutionary orientation (This resolution is published here for the first time. The for the American and world Marxist-Leninist move­ main body of the resolutions of the Second Congress of ments and to carry out our internationalist responsibili­ the MLP are available in the January 1. 1984 issue of ty towards the Albanian comrades ..This is also the only The Workers' Advocate.) 0

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10 ..

Resolution of the Second Congress of the MLP,USA Solidarity With Socialist Albania ·,:,·t'·~·:':'''·\;~ the Only Genuinely Socialist Country in the World Today In the world today the People's Socialist Republic of enemies. Upon liberation they took the path of the Albania stands as the only genuinely socialist country. socialist revolution. They built up the system of the Blockaded and despised by U.S. imperialism and dictatorship of the proletariat. They step by step con­ Soviet social-imperialism, socialist Albania stands firm fiscated the property of the capitalists and landlords against the imperialist superpowers. Surrounded by a and consolidated socialism. ' These socialist gains in capitalist and revisionist world wracked by economic Albania were safeguarded in heroic struggles against crisis, Albania is crisis-free and carries forward its the revisionist betrayal. The Party of Labor of Albania planned economic construction. While scores of other led the working class and people in courageous-battles countries are drowning in debts to the imperialist against the Yugoslav, Soviet and Chinese revisionists. sharks, Albania is building socialism through its own Since the days of the October Revolution, the exist­ efforts without owing a dollar or a ruble to anyone. ence of the socialist system has been the greatest The Albanian working class and people have trans­ achievement of the international working class move­ formed the old Albania of the capitalist and landlord ment. With the revisionist betrayal in the Soviet Union regime, the poorest and most back'XVard country of and elsewhere, today Albania is the sole country where Europe prior to the revolution in 1944, into an advanced the working class holds the reins of power, and the new socialist society. It is a society without exploiters and socialist society is successfully being built. By its very exploited, without rich and poor, where the working force of example the c;xistence of socialism carries a people are building for themselves a better life. potential threat to bourgeois rule everywhere. That is The new socialist society in Albania was born in the why the capitalists and revisionists will never cease to flames of revolution. The Albanian people liberated curse it and to make efforts to wipe it out. The MLP, themselves from the Nazi-fascist yoke through their USA stands with the class conscious proletarians and heroic national liberation war. They fought and won their revolutionary vanguards on all continents in victory over both the invaders and the internal class pledging its militant defense of socialism in Albania. 0

11 - From the Resolutions of the 2nd Congress of the MLP,USA On the Situation in the'lnternational Marxist-Leninist Movement

The Second Congress Salutes the Marxist-Leninist Communists of the World The Marxist-Leninist Party of the USA is the Ameri­ The proletariat is an international class. In the strug­ can contingent of the international Marxist-Leninist gle for the emancipation of labor, the various national movement. It is proud to militate side by side with the contingents of the class conscious proletariat are bound Marxist-Leninist communists of other lands who bend together by unshakeable bonds of class solidarity and every effort to organize the proletariat, to build up proletarian internationalism. At the head of the work­ Leninist parties, and to lead the revolutionary storms. It ers' struggle stands the communist vanguard. Ever supports and defends the struggles of the Marxist­ since the epoch-making Great October Socialist Revolu­ Leninist communists and opposes the attacks of imperi­ tion in Russia of 1917, every consistent working class alism and revisionism against them. revolutionary must be a Marxist-Leninist. Today the The Second Congress pledges the militant solidarity revisionist betrayal in Russia and China and elsewhere of our Party to the Marxist-Leninist communist parties has not eliminated the Marxist-Leninist communists. of every land. To the communist militants throughout AIl around the world, the revolutionary Marxist-Lenin­ the world, the Second Congress sends the revolutionary ists can be found, undaunted, struggling to lead the greetings of our Party. It declares that the Marxist­ proletariat and all the working people to rise up against Leninist Party of the USA will uphold its fighting tradi­ exploitation and oppression, against Western capital­ tion of doing its utmost to build the international Marx­ ism and against revisionist capitalism. ist-Lenini!jt movement. D

Work for the Strengthening of the International Marxist-Leninist Movement are in favor of various types of meetings between the In our opinion, the present tasks for strengthening parties as appropriate, including both bilateral meet­ the international Marxist-Leninist movement include ings and multilateral meetings, such as regional meet­ the following four fronts of work: ings and general meetings. Naturally, what is needed It 18 e8sentlal that .n the Maul8t·Lenlnlst parties are not empty, ceremonial meetings, but real, working strive bani to develop closer contacts with other parties meetings. As well, there should be better utilization of and more international coeperatlon. The parties must the valuable body of Marxist-Leninist literature from make use of a number of different methods of exchang­ the parties and a better exchange of the party journals. ing views and developing fraternal collaboration. We The circulation of literature from the parties in other

12 • countries is not only essential for the exchange of ex­ "three worlds" theory and Maoism was not carried perience among the parties but it also creates enthu­ through to the end, and this has been the source of siasm among the masses and encourages the growth of many evils. As well, the struggle against Soviet revi­ proletarian internationalist sentiments. sionism must be stepped up. Among other things, the Furthermore, there should be international coopera­ Soviet revisionists have been trying to make hay out of tion in the struggle against the class enemy on major the fiasco of Maoism and the rise of various rightist world issues. This is not a matter of elaborate interna­ and liquidationist currents in many countries. The con­ tional schemes nor of a mechanical equalization of the tinuation and deepening of the great polemic against slogans and forms of struggle in different countries, but Soviet revisionism that began over two decades ago is of the use of elementary forms of cooperation. Whether still a burning task ofthe international Marxist-Leninist it is a matter of condemning U.S. imperialist aggression movement. in Central America, working to guide the upsurge of the Furthermore, the struggle against revisionism does anti-war movement in Western Europe and elsewhere, not consist simply of opposing the various revisionist or utilizing the economic and political crises in Poland trends as they manifest themselves internationally. It and Yugoslavia, and the treachery of Cuba towards the includes the struggle against the domestic revisionist Central Amercian revolutions, to expose the bankrupt­ and opportunist groupings of one's own country. Un­ cy of revisionism, international cooperation would less one fights "one's own" opportunist and revisionist strengthen the work of each Marxist-Leninist party. It groupings, the fight against revisionism is nothing but would mean that the international Marxist-Leninist a fraud. movement speaks with a strong voice on the major is­ FInally, there Is the task of assessing the history of sues of world politics, and it would help attract all pro­ the struggle to buIld up the International Marxlst-len.­ letarian and progressive forces to the side of revolution­ InIst movement against the treacheries of the Soviet ary Marxism-Leninism. and other revisionists. The open split with Soviet revi­ All the parties must do their utmost to consider and sionism began over two decades ago. Since then, the resolve the bamlng questions In the international Marxist-Leninist communists have had both successes Marxlst-Lenlnlst movement. These questions cannot be and setbacks. At the height of the struggle against the swept aside. They must be dealt with consciously and "three worlds" theory and Maoism at the end of the openly by all Marxist-Leninist parties and class con­ 1970's, the task was posed internationally of assessing scious workers. Unless the controversies and vexed the course of the struggle against Soviet revisionism. questions of the current movement are dealt with, all The importance of this assessment is that it brings to efforts, no matter how sincere, at strengthening the light deviations and departures from Marxism-lenin­ international Marxist-Leninist movement or increas­ ism that weakened the struggle and thus helps to en­ ing proletarian internationalist cooperation run the risk sure that in the future the struggle will be based firmly of being empty pos.turing and will sooner or later evap­ on the classic ideas of Marxism-Leninism. And indeed, orate into thin air. the exposure of Maoism did bring to light the cause of a In our view, it is the Marxist-Leninist theory that pro­ number of difficulties and weaknesses that had hin­ vides the basis for resolving the vexed questions of dered the struggle against Soviet revisionism. But the today. The objective situations of today and the experi­ full assessment of the history ofthe international Marx­ ence of the revolutionary movement must be examined ist-Leninist movement and of the struggle against Sovi­ in the light of the ideas of the Marxist-Leninist classics. et revisionism was never completed. ·The unity of the international Marxist-Leninist move­ The Second Congress pledges that our Party will con­ ment finds its granite foundations in the Marxist­ tinue to play an active role in the international Marxist­ Leninist theory, which is the only scientific guide to the Leninist movement. The Marxist-Leninist Party of the class struggle and the revolution. USA will strive with all its might to defend the interests The struggle against the various revlslonlst and op­ ofthe international Marxist-Leninist movement, to take portunist C1I1Tents must be stepped up. The struggle part in resolving the vexed questions of the movement, against revisionism is a life and death struggle for the to carry out its proletarian internationalist responsibili­ international Marxist-Leninist movement. Yet the early ties and to stand steadfast as a loyal contingent of inter­ 1980' s saw a certain falling off of the ideological strug­ national revolutionary Marxism-Leninism. 0 gle against revisionism. The struggle against the

13 On the Relations Between the Marxist-Leninist Parties

In the latter 1970's, in the struggle against the amplify it; any step towar~s such concrete amplifica­ "three worlds" theory and Maoism, the arrogant and tion, however, will be an enumeration of features of harmful stands of the Chinese revisionists towards the hostility to opportunism . . ,. An adherent of internation­ proletarian parties of other lands were widely con­ alism who is not at the same time a most consistent and demned. The question of the norms that should govern determined adversary of opportunism is a phantom, relations among Marxist-Leninist parties received nothing more. .. (Ibid., Vol. 21, p. 156) much attention. It is still an important issue, as the There must be concrete bonds of soUdarlty and coop­ Marxist-Leninist parties ofthe world search for ways of eration between the parties. International unity is a dtawing closer to one another. In our view, the follow­ basic principle of communism. It is vital to increase the ing points are among the principles dictated by Marx­ connection between the parties in the course of fighting ism-Leninism and proletarian internationalism for gov­ the class enemy; this is one of the important tasks of the erning these relations. present. Our Party has enthusiastically supported those It is essential to inculcate In the class conscious work­ initiatives that have promoted closer collaboration be­ ers and revolutionary activists the fervent conviction of tween the parties. Among other things, we support being part of the single, International anny of labor. joint meetings and joint statements, conduct vigorous This is a fundamental principle of proletarian interna­ solidarity work in support of the other parties, work tionalism. Put into practice, it creates great enthusiasm hard to promote the exchange of literature among par­ among and stiffens the fighting spirit of the revolution­ ties and the wide circulation of international Marxist­ ary proletarians. This cpnception has always guided the Leninist literature in the U.S., and would like to see the work of our Party, and its predecessors, right from the development of joint campaigns against imperialism, founding of the American Communist Workers Move­ revisionism, capitalism and reaction. ment (Marxist-Leninist) in 1969. We have consistently We hold that the theory of Marxlsm-I.enJn1sm is In­ held that the American Marxist-Leninists are but one ternational and that it is necessary to study and assess contingent of the world Marxist-Leninist movement. International experience. Cooperation in theoretical The unity of the Marxlst-I.enJn1st communists of the matters is part and parcel of developing close relations world Is not simply a formal or organizational question, between Marxist-Leninist parties. A seriou;s a~itude to but is based on their common struggle against the class theory is incompatible with either mechanically copying enemy and their adherence to the Manlst-I.enJn1st whatever happens to be fashionable or with ignoring Ideology. Proletarian internationalism is based on the the views and hard-won experience of other parties. Our fact that the proletariat has the same basic class inter­ Party has consistently sought to bring the advanced ests all over the world and the same historical mission ideas ofthe international Marxist-Leninist movement to of liberating itself from the rule of the exploiters. The the class conscious workers and revolutionaries in the class struggle is a world struggle. Thus the Marxist­ U.S. Leninist parties, as the proletarian vanguard, find Deallng with the bumlng-qaestions and controversies themselves in battle with different sections of the com­ Inside the International Marxist-I.enJn1st movement is, mon capitalist and revisionist enemy. Whenever the In our view, a vital part of International cooperation. In class struggle is toned down, just to that extent any the last few years, our Party has paid close attention unity tends to become purely formal and meaningless. both to the burning questions of the international Marx­ As Lenin stressed: "There is one, and only one, kind of ist-Leninist movement and to the methods being used real internationalism, and that is - working whole­ internationally to deal with these controversies. It is our heartedly for the development of the revolutionary conclusion that it is the orthodox Marxist-Leninist movement and the revolutionary struggle in one's own methods that must be used. Leninism castigates se­ country, and supporting (by propaganda, sympathy, verely both those who throw mud at the communist and material aid) this struggle, this, and only this, in movement and those who slur over the disputed ques­ every country without exception. Of (Collected Works, tions and try to hide questions of principle under the Vol. 24, p. 75, the.emphasis is Lenin's) cover of a hypocritical silence. Leninism teaches that The Marxist-Leninist communist movement has de­ we must not fear the raving of the enemies of commu­ veloped in fierce struggle against the revisionist be­ nism, who dance and leap hysterically over the differ­ trayal of revolution and socialism. The defense of Marx­ ences in the Marxist-Leninist ranks, but must instead ism-Leninism and the unyielding struggle against the calmly and boldly rely on enhancing the political revisionist and opportunist trends is essential for the consciousness of the working class and the party unity of the Marxist-Leninist parties. As Lenin showed: members. Lenin set a brilliant example of the dis­ "The concept of 'adherents of internationalism' is de­ cussion of the vexed questions of the international void ofall content and meaning, if we do not concretely movement of his day in such works as "What Should 14 Not Be Copied From the German Labor Movement"; Leninists but who speak more or less openly about their his articles on the movement against social-chauvinism desire to build up their own "international trend" and in World War I; "Left-Wing" Communism, An in­ who demand "special relationships" with this or that fantile Disorder; his letters to the communist parties party. In particular, the present leadership ofthe Com­ and workers' movements of various countries; and so munist Party of Canada (M-L) and various of its inter­ forth. The Communist International also made effective national followers are among such factionalists. These use of open discussion of the burning issues before the factionalists have been trying, in vain, to destroy our entire world proletarian movement in its work of build- Party because, among other reasons, we refuse to take ing up communist parties. , part in building their "international trend," we refuse We are aware that other views on this question are to attack other parties at their secret command, and we being advocated. For example, there are those who refuse to allow them to violate our organizational integrity. We will not be part of their special "inter­ hold, that the burning questions, of the present-day Marxist-Leninist movement must not be discussed in national trend" or any other factional conspiracy. We public. They think that the rank-and-flle communist are not factionalists, but revolutionary Marxist-Lenin­ should be fed on "official optimism," as Lenin sarcas­ ists. We have had to fight very hard to uphold this tically called it, while the real issues are settled, insofar stand, but we will never regret it nor retreat from it. as they ever are settled, behind the scenes. According Only those who keep their honor intact can fight the to this view, the worst crime is to refer honestly and class enemy. openly to the vexed questions of the day, especially if The organizational integrity of the parties must be the name of a party is used. upheld. This does not, in our view, contradict the The method of "official optimism" is advertised as building of close relations between Marxist-Leninist the only means to protect the unity of the parties. But, parties. On the contrary, the maintenance of the organ­ in reality, we have seen over and over again the sad izational integrity of the individual parties should en­ results of "official optimism" and backstage maneu­ hance genuine democratic centralism in the inter­ vering. It has not in the slightest preserved inter­ national Marxist-Leninist movement. national unity; on the contrary, it has only served to The question of organizational integrity has been of aggravate the problems between parties and to foster vital importance for our Party. We would not be here the use of various truly backward methods of solving today and holding the Second Congress if we had not differences. It has not served to protect the weaker par­ zealously guarded the organizational integrity of our ties; on the contrary, these methods have repeatedly Party. We have found that those who have tried to vio­ proved of use to dubious elements seeking to prey on late the organizational integrity of our Party invariably the parties. It has not kept differences away from the did so in the interests of international factionalism, not eyes and ears of the class enemy, but it has served to in the interests of true centralism and international help keep the issues of principle away from the eyes unity. and ears of the class conscious workers and Marxist­ There must be only one Marxist-Leninist party in Leninist activists. "Officiai optimism" has proved to each country. The proletarian movement needs uni­ be a roadblock to the struggle to put the issues of fied leadership. Only a unified, class conscious van­ principle to the fore and to eliminate rumormongering guard can successfully lead the entire working class and abuse. Life its,elf has repeatedly shown: either the, and revolutionary movement of the country and con­ Leninist method of combining militant and fervent centrate the energies of the working masses so that solidarity with wide discussion of the controversial they make the supreme effort required to overthrow the issues of principle, or the law of the jungle and imita­ rule of the bourgeoisie. tion of the unprincipled methods of the ' social-demo­ Furthermore, the genuine communist party must not cratic and revisionist parties. be a federation of different national groups, but must There must be resolute opposition to intemational unite unconditionally the workers of all nationalities of factionalism. The world's Marxist-Leninists must al­ the given country. If the proletarian party were simply a ways demarcate themselves sharply from the revi­ federation of national groups, or if there were separate sionist and opportunist currents. But there should be parties for the workers of -different nationalities in the no attempts to divide the international Marxist-Lenin­ same country, it would lead to chaos, to splintering the ist movement itself up into special "international working class movement and reducing it to a weak and trends." Marxism-Leninism, revolutionary Marxist­ fragmented federation. Instead, the party must unite Leninist communism as opposed to revisionism, should the workers of all nationalities and itself vigorously lead be the "international trend" that all Marxist-Leninists the struggle against national oppression. belong to. Although there must be only one party for each Our Party has fought hard against international country, sometimes a party has to have certain organi­ factionalism. There are those who claim to be Marxist- zation in other countries. The Bolsheviks, for example, 15 had certain party organization abroad prior to 1917. But land. Our Party extends the hand of fraternal pro­ this is not incompatible with the principle of one party letarian internationalist cooperation to such overseas for one country, if a distinction is maintained between party organizations of other parties. the work that is part of the revolutionary movement in The above extracts from the resolutions of the Second the host country, and that hence should be led by the Congress have been reprintedfrom the January 1, 1984 party ofthat country', and the work that is a direct Pjirt issue of The Workers' Advocate, which contained the of the revolutionary work in the homeland, even if cir­ main body ofthe resolutions. 0 cumstances force it to be conducted outside the home-

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16 .. On Comrade Enver Hoxha's Speech of November 10, 1982

The Internal Bulletin of December 22, 1982

Below we reproduce the bulk of the internal bulletin tee] also read and discussed Comrade Enver Hoxha's of our Party which discussed Comrade Enver Hoxha 's speech of November 10 to the electors and mandated major speech of November 10, 1982. This speech is the that an internal bulletin be prepared on this subject. most recent authoritative statement by Comrade Enver This part of this bulletin is subdivided as follows: Hoxha on the overall orientation of the PLA on world events, and it received even more attention because it Intro,luction ...... ••...... 17 was the first official statement from the PLA condemn­ The Lack of Revolutionary Spirit .••.....•...... 19 ingMehmet Shehu. Unfortunately, this speech showed that the PLA was insisting on precisely those points of On the Lesser Imperlallst Powers .....•....•..•..• 20 the analysis given at the 8th Congress of the PLA in The Oppressed Countries ...... •.•...... • 21 November 1981 that were weak or mistaken, and that the PLA had developed these e"ors even further. Sub­ The Balkans ...... •...... •.•..•• 23 sequent actions by the PLA have verified that this The International MarxIst-Leninist and speech is an accurate reflection of various of the stands W orldng Class Movement ...... •...•.....••... 24 ofthePLA. The page references to this speech in the internal The Mehmet Shehu Affair ...... 24 bulletin are to the official English edition from Tirana, Some General Comments ...... 26 much of which is reprinted at the back of this issue of On Socialism In Albania ...... 23 The Workers' Advocate. This internal bulletin deals with the analysis of the On the MLP's Active Attitude Towards the PLA on various international events and matters of ori­ International Marxist-Leninist Movement ...... •.. 29 entation for the international Marxist-Leninist move­ On the Party-Wide Discussion of the ment. It must be remembered that this bulletin was November 10 speech .•...... •.•.•.•...... •....•30 prepared for discussion inside our Party and hence assumed knowledge of our Party's basic stands and What to Say Extemally Outside OJU' analysis. A more detailed elaboration of our Party 's Circles ...... •...••.•.•..• 30 views on world affairs and the situation inside the inter­ On the Securlty for Thls Bulletin [omitted] national Marxist-Leninist movement can be found in the resolutions of the Second Congress of the MLP, USA, which are printed in the January 1, 1984 issue of Introduction The Workers' Advocate, and in other articles in The Workers' Advocate. Recently Albania has published Comrade Enver's The internal bulletin of December 22, 1982 began speech of November 10 to the electors. Naturally, the with an announcement concerning inner-party life, and eyes of class conscious workers and Marxist-Leninists then proceeded asfollows: the world over tum to Albania and examine carefully each of its stands. Socialism is the highest achievement The rest of this internal bulletin is devoted to a differ- of the proletariat. The world proletarian movement ent subject. The 16th plenum ,{ofthe Central Commit- cherishes the dictatorship of the proletariat wherever it 17 exists. ber 8, 1978. (See Proletarian Internationalism, Vol. 1, Indeed, since the break with the Chinese revisionists, No.1) Immediately after it was delivered, this speech Albania has refuted the predictions of those who said it was made available in pamphlet form in several lan­ would turn to either U.S. imperialism or Soviet social­ guages by the PLA. Furthermore, the speech is the first imperialism for support. It can be recalled that, at the official statement from the PLA on the condemnation of time of the publication of Imperialism and the Revolu­ Mehmet Shehu. This too is another reason why it is na­ tion, the hack reviewers of this work from the RCP,USA tural that the PLA took the occasion of such a speech to and the now-defunct CPML made dire predictions how proclaim to the world what its policies will be. There is Albania was on the road to unity with Soviet revision­ thus every reason to expect that this speech indicates ism. As well, the world press went mad with specu­ the general direction that the PLA will be going on vari­ lation. But Albania continued to march along its own ous issues for the next year or two. path, free from entangling debts and shameful alli­ Unfortunately, this speech is a tragedy in itself. It ances with the superpowers. does reiterate that socialist Albania will not link up with And during the world economic crisis, Albania has either of the two superpowers. But it cannot even be continued along without even breaking stride. ,It has said to be on the level ofthe Report to the 8th Congress, neither unemployment nor inflation, neither economic which reiterated various stands but did not answer the crisis nor stagnation. While the various capitalist coun­ vexed questions of the present movement. On the con­ tries are being squeezed by the IMF and the bankers, trary, the speech of November 10 shows that the PLA is Albania has no debts at all. presently giving wrong answers to the vexed questions At the same time, it is necessary to take a mature and ofthe movement. It shows that the PLA is currently in­ steady look at the stands and actions of Albania. Social­ sisting precisely on those points of the Report to the 8th ist Albania's great and historic accomplishments in the Congress that were wrong and that it has gone even past - its national liberation war, its defiance of further in the wrong direction. Khrushchov, its ushering in of the period of the world­ The 16th Plenum of the Central Committee of our wide condemnation ofthe "three worlds" theory and of Party assessed Comrade Enver's speech of Novem­ Mao Zedong Thought, its valiant stand against the ber 10. It decided that the whole MLP should study this ruthless imperialist-revisionist encirclement, etc. - do spec:;ch and thoroughly discuss it. This Internal BuIletin not give it a special position above criticism. Revolu­ has been prepared by the National Executive Commit­ tionary Marxism-Leninism cannot afford to put any­ tee according to the instructions of the 16th Plenum in thing on a pedestal - the achievements and accom­ order to facilitate this inner-party study. plishments of one period must be the introduction·to yet The present wrong stands of the PLA create a serious new achievements in the next. In the struggle for the situation. It is our responsibility to look the truth in the world proletarian revolution, there is no standing still face. Our Party has taken in the past and will continue and resting on one's laurels. to take an active stand towards its duties as part of the At the time ofthe 8th Congress, our Party soberly as­ international Marxist-Leninist movement. We cannot sessed Comrade Enver's Report. We saw that this Re­ fulfill these duties by simply brushing aside this new port did not have the significance of the previous turn in the position of the PLA. We must examine it vig­ Report to the 7th Congress. True, the 8th Congress of ilantly. This is necessary both in order to preserve our the PLA reiterated the stand of the PLA on a number of revolutionary stand and to help the PLA. True friends fundamen~al issues, but it did not answer the vexed of socialist Albania are neither those who applaud while questions that were agitating the international Marxist­ mistakes are made nor the deviationists who rub their Leninist movement. Moreover, it had weak and con­ hands in secret glee because now they can let their fused formulations on various questions. rightism run riot. True friends are those who stand for Now our Party must assess Comrade Enver's speech the Marxist-Leninist truth. And only true friends are of November 10. It is clear that this speech is a major those who push forward the revolution, for socialist Al­ document of the PLA, just as was Comrade Enver's bania does not exist isolated from the world but is part speech to the electors in October 1974, and as were of the world proletarian army. Comrade Enver's speeches for the 1978 elections, The rest of this Bulletin outlines the stands of the No­ "Proletarian Democracy Is Genuine Democracy" to the vember 10 speech in more detail and then sets forward General Council of the Democratic Front, Septem­ our active stand toward the serious situation that exists. ber 20, 1978 and the speech.to the electors, Novem-

18 #> The Lack of Revolutionary Spirit

One of the most striking features ofthe November 10 ian government considers these relations [with Albania speech is its lack of any revolutionary spirit in its dis­ - IB] of no interest, it may do whatever it likes, this cussion of the world situation. Comrade Enver presents will Dot affect us much. Nevertheless, we think differ­ us a world without class struggle, without the interna­ , ently - that these relations are useful to both sides." tional Marxist-Leninist movement, without a division (p. 26, in all quotations from the November 10 speech, between reformists and revolutionaries, and so forth. the emphasis has been added) The world is not considered from the standpoint of the With respect to the Arab peoples, the Iranian people, revolution or of the division of the world into two great the Argentinian people and so forth, Comrade Enver camps. Indeed, the working class struggle outside of does not speak ofthe regime at all. Naturally, this does Albania is barely mentioned in one awkward sentence not mean that these governments have magically van­ on page 18 on the economic struggle and the struggle ished leaving the Arab, Iranian and Argentine people for democratic partial demands. The word "revolu­ etc., in direct control oftheir destinies. It means, how­ tion," in referring to a current event, barely peeks out ever, that Comrade Enver has abandoned, in this on page 18, which briefly refers to "revolutionary, pa­ speech at least, the standpoint of expressing indigna­ triotic, democratic and peace-loving forces everywhere tion against these governments, of condemning the re­ in the world," certain armed struggles, and then the actionary rulers, and so forth. In this speech, to avoid Iranian revolution, which it identifies with the Khomei- the issue and shuffle it under the rug, Enver talks main­

I ni regime. The word "class" barely makes its appear­ ly of "peoples" and nations. In other speeches and doc­ ance in one phrase, "the ratio of class forces," on uments, where both regimes and peoples are referred pages 18-19. to, often this distinction is important to understand the Instead of talk about the struggle of the workers and meaning. In this speech, the reference to peoples is peasants, there is rampant speculation about this. or simply a subterfuge. And the same subterfuge is used that nationality and its historic virtues. The abandon­ whether referring to various reactionary cliques ruling ment, in this speech, of the standpoint of the revolution oppressed nations or to the wily imperialists of Europe. is shown by its rationale that the various regimes exist­ The basic analysis put forward by the speech is sim­ ing in the world are irrelevant. The speech talks of Al­ ply that all the problems in the world are due to the bania's relations with this or that people and its support superpowers and that the struggle for national indepen­ of this or that struggle while staying as far away as dence from the superpowers is the basic issue. But possible from the question of the regimes ruling these when the struggle against the two superpowers is di­ peoples. This means to give up the standpoint of guid­ vorced from the internal struggle, from the class strug­ ing, orienting and supporting the struggle of the op­ gle, from the revolutionary struggle against the'other pressed masses to overthrow the exploiting classes and imperialists and against the local bourgeois and land­ bloodstained regimes that sit on their backs and suck lord regimes, it turns into nothing but pious phrases their blood. about the peace, security and independence of the The speech openly puts forward this stand of ignor­ countries or even into honeyed words about preserving ing the regimes when it discusses Albania's relations European "culture, traditions and civilization." (p. 20) 'with other countries, and this stand also permeates the The centering of everything on the independence of the discussion of the rest of the world situation. Thus, in various countries leaves out the question of exploitation respect to Turkey, Comrade Enver writes that "The and the socialist revolution. But if the question of the different forms of regime have never shaken this regimes is shuffled under the rug, it leaves out the friendship .... " (p. 27), although what is at stake is not question of the revolutionary path to national liberation just the friendship between peoples, as Enver says, but too - except perhaps for wars against direct colonial the relations b.etween states. With regard to Greece, domination - and runs the risk of turning liberation Comrade Enver assures us with a solemn face of the rhetoric into just a way to dress up the squabbles of the fairy tale that "the Greek governments :....- right-wirig bourgeois-landlord regimes and their Gesire to get a [Le., the former military dictators - Internal Bulletin], few more crumbs from their big partners, the super­ new democratic [this is the name of the Greek conserva­ powers. tive bourgeois party - IB], or socialist [this is short for Later,' after examining how this speech deals with the name of the present ruling party, the Panhellenic various particular issues, we shall return to a considera­ Socialist Movement - IB], have always considered the tion of its general features. We shall see that this friendship between the Albanian people and the Greek speech shows that the PLA has lost orientation in the people as a pressing political necessity." (p. 28) With presen.t world situation, that it fails to deal with the regard to Italy, Enver admits that the regimes may specific tasks for the international Marxist-Leninist have varying attitudes, but what the heck, "If any Ital- movement. Instead it flails around. Looking at various 19 surface features, it apparently engages in the "realistic istically" speaking, influential in world events. Striving politics" of trying to shortcut the work of building up for this sort of "realism," Comrade Enver falls prey to the international revolutionary movement and instead some incredible illusions and pursues various will-o'­ seeking to find various forces that are currently, "real- the-wisps.

On the Lesser Imperialist Powers

Now let us proceed to examine how this general and economic blocs." (p. 17) However, here too, the stand works out in relation to various particular ques­ speech refuses to explain who is meant, thus toning tions ofthe world situation. We will begin by examining down the effect of any such condemnation. Moreover, the 'stand of the speech towards the lesser imperialist the whole point of the passage from which we have ex­ powers, i.e., lesser than the two superpowers, of Eur­ tracted this phrase is to say that now these regimes too ope, Japan and Canada. are a target ofthe superpowers. "Now the superpowers The speech basically concerns itself with the Euro­ have made not only the peoples and countries which pean powers, rather than Japan or Canada. It goes even have been outside the zones of their domination, but further than the Report to the 8th Congress in toning also their closest partners ... the objectives of this gen­ down any condemnation of these powers. It does not eral offensive." The purpose of this is apparently to make any appeal at all for socialist revolution in these construct a rationale for saying that the issue in these countries but only talks of their struggle to preserve countries too is national independence from the super­ their culture, traditions, civilization, etc., from the en­ powers. It may also be noted that the fact that the croachments on their independence and sovereignty superpowers try to subjugate those nearest and dearest by the superpowers. This is repeated over and over in to them is not a new phenomenon, not something that various passages. has just emerged "now," but an old and well-known The speech goes to great lengths to avoid even label­ phenomenon. For example, right after World War II iiig these countries as' imperialist. Generally speaking, the international communist movement pointed out the references to imperialism are only to the super­ that, under the cover of hysteria against the then­ powers. The speech avoids even condemning these socialist Soviet Union, the U.S. imperialists were mov­ countries by name. Whenever it criticizes these coun­ ing to consolidate control of their allies. Yet Enver re­ tries, it instead of giving names talks of "some coun­ iterates that this is new, saying that "The countries of tries" or "countries of Western and Eastern Europe" Western and Eastern Europe are in the iron grip of the or "some European countries" or even, in an apparent two superpowers which now not only want to grab their reference to France allowing Leka Zogu to enter the wealth, but also to squeeze the Ufe out of them." (p. 19) country and give an interview, it criticizes the "as­ Indeed, the speech calls on "the European coun­ tounding stand" of "a country friendly to us." (p. 30) tries" to guarantee their "free and independent devel­ Similarly, when criticizing the sending of occupation opment, their sovereignty and territorial development" troops from France and Italy to Lebanon, it talks of and even their "defense" by opposing "the hegemonic " ...the dispatch of military units from some European policy of the superpowers" and "breaking up the countries to Lebanon, along with those of the United pacts." (first two paragraphs of p. 20) The speech States .... " Comrade Enver refuses to name the Euro­ makes no distinction between countries and peoples pean imperialists involved. He does go on to make what and gives no call for the European peoples to overthrow is for this speech one of the strongest condemnations of their "own" domestic exploiters. Comrade Enver does them, and he says that dispatch of troops" ...consti­ not link the struggle against the hegemony of the tutes a very danger~us precedent for direct military superpowers with the socialist revolution because he intervention in the internal affairs of independent doesn't mention the class struggle and the revolution countries. In a way, this action Is a return to the old at all. Instead he guarantees these countries "develop­ poUcy of the European Great Powers which sent their ment and prosperity" and "defense" if only they break troops to various countries in order to establish their away from the superpowers and pursue their own in­ domination there." (p. 19) One would have preferred, terests, without a word as to whether these are the ho~ever, that it be pointed out that this action is a con­ interests of their ruling classes or the masses. This is tinuation of the present imperialist policies of these how far the PLA's mistake on what they call the nation­ countries and-another exposure of the hollow nature of al question in Europe has led them. the "pro-Arab" demagogy of various of the wily This wrong stand with respect to the European impe­ European imperialists. rialist countries also manifests itself in Comrade En­ At one point, the speech does talk of the "closest ver's orientation for the movement against the station­ partners (of the superpowers] in the military alliances ing of nuclear weapons in Europe. Unlike the 8th Con- 20 •

gress Report, this speech mentions this movement and as a talisman to ward off criticism. The proof of the pud­ approves the "protests and demonstrations against the ding is in what condemnation is made of the European, stationing of American and Soviet atomic weapons." Japanese and Canadian imperialists concerning world (p. 19) But the speech fails to point out the danger of events, what perspective is put forward for the toiling social-democratic subversion of this movement, the masses of these lesser imperialist countries, and so necessity for this movement to target the European forth. bourgeoisie as well as the superpowers, or the relation It should also be noted that we oppose not this or that .of this movement to the struggle for socialist revolu­ phrase in itself about the European imperialists, but tion. Yet unless the Marxist-Leninists fight tooth and the general context, the strategy and tactics that are nail on these questions the mass movement, as promis­ being put forward. Not every word about the depend­ ing as it is, will either be smashed, or frittered away ence of even an imperialist country is automatically uselessly, or be diverted into a channel useful to the wrong. For example, Lenin and Stalin and the Bolshe­ bourgeoisie. The only question that Comrade Enver viks, in the fight against the social-chauvinists of World may possible be raising, however, is that the movement War I, pointed out how various countries, such as should target both the U.S. and the Soviet Union, since Switzerland and Russia, were bound to the capital of he describes the masses as already doing this when for other imperialists. But from this they concluded that example there is much confusion about the Soviet there had to be a socialist revolution. From the connec­ Union in the West European movement against impe­ tion of the Swiss capitalists to the other capitalists, they rialist war preparations. concluded that any participation of Switzerland in These wrong stands of Comrade Enver's speech do World War I would have an imperialist character. not augur well for Albania's stands on European impe­ And they oriented the struggle towards the revolution rialism in the coming period. But it should be noted against the Russian exploiters, and not toward defend­ that the speech of November 10 is a short document ing the freedom of action of the Russian exploiters from that concentrates the line. The fact that it does not even their foreign rivals; they taught the masses to condemn mention "European imperialism" does not mean that the Russian reactionaries for ravaging other countries future Albanian literature will nev:er give this formula. and didn't orient the struggle against World War I into It does mean, however, that we can expect that the con­ the channel of defending the independenc~ of the demnation of European imperialism in relation to cur­ existing regime. Similarly, we are in favor of struggle rent events will be very toned down, as in fact it has against the superpowers, and our Party has a glorious been for some time in the Albanian press. H this dis­ tradition of enthusiastically welcoming every blow tinction is not understood" one may see the next article against our "own" U.S. imperialists by the toiling from Albania that mentions the lesser imperialists and masses of other countries. But it is our duty to help heave a sigh of relief: "Whew, just in time, they backed support the revolutionary current in other countries off that dangerous error." But the issue is not whether and strengthen it by advocating that the struggle some stale formula is given here or there, stale because against the superpowers should be linked to the revolu­ the formula is not used ~s a guide to action but simply tion.

The Oppressed Countries The lack of revolutionary spirit in the speech of No­ waged to regain the violated freedom and the lost inde­ vember 10 is also evident in its treatment of the op­ pendence. " pressed and dependent countries. There is no mention This approach can also be seen in Comrade Enver's of the class struggle or the different class forces at all. discussion of the struggle of the Arab peoples against There is no mention of the differences among such Israeli zionism. Here he raises the question of unity as distinct forces "as the reactionary bourgeois-landlord the key issue. He points out that the new zionist aggres­ despotisms, the bourgeois reformists, and the revolu­ sions have taken "advantage of the great American tionaries. There is no mention of the struggle against aid and the divisions among the Arab peoples" (p. 21) the existing regimes, except for the inclusion of El and asks "Will the:9' [the Arab peoples - IB] remain di­ Salvador in the list of armed struggles (and also the vided as they are so that Israel and American imperial­ inclusion of Afghanistan, but that is really more of a ism defeat and crush them one by one, as they are do­ struggle against an essentially directly colonial re­ ing?" (p. 22) But any talk of unity is at best a pious wish gime). However, here too the struggle seems to be if there is no denunciation of Arab reaction which has characterized basically as one for national independ­ stabbed the Palestinian people in the back and which ence, as Enver writes that' 'In Afghanistan, in the Mid­ colludes with imperialism in order to maintain its ex­ dle East, in Salvador, etc., armed struggle is being" ploitation ofthe Arab masses. There is not a word about 21 this in Comrade Enver's speech. This being the case, peasants, communists and activists who are slaugh­ the appeal for unity appears to be a call for unity be­ tered, imprisoned and mercilessly persecuted in every tween the various regimes and present ruling forces way. Yet the PLA praises these countries. This is a in the Arab world. This type of unity is unlikely, with­ clear indication of what it means to ignore such alleged­ out a series of revolutions that replaces the present re­ ly minor questions as the regime in power. gimes with revolutionary regimes. But if such unity did ·To begin with, there is the case of Argentina. Com- ... take place between the present regimes, it is more like­ rade Enver does not express any solidarity with the ly to be for the purpose of allying with imperialism to suffering Argentine working people nor does he issue jointly suppress tht; revolutionary and liberation forces any condemnation of the fascist Argentine generals. than for the purpose of struggle against zionism. For Nor has any other Albanian statement that we are example, at present most of the Arab regimes are aware of. The only issue he sees is that of Argentine united - to support Iraq in the reactionary Iran/Iraq sovereignty over the Malvinas. Furthermore, he gives war which is now unjust on both sides and which ori­ this stand as the example of Albanian support for the ginally began with Iraq soliciting the support of impe­ Latin American peoples, saying that: "The Albanian rialism against the Iranian revolution. The lesson of people have supported and continue to support this the recent defeats in Lebanon is that pious words about struggle of the Latin American peopleS', and this was Arab unity are worse than useless: it is necessary for expressed in the case of the conflict over the Malvinas, the toiling masses of the Palestinian people to develop in which we supported the undeniable rights of the Ar­ their own independent organization, gird themselves gentinian people." (pp. 22-23) for the fight against Arab reaction, and remain vigilant Then there is the question of Iran. By now, even the towards the national reformists, even at those times at blind should be able to see the nature of the IRP­ which they have alliances with these forces. Khomeini despotism in Iran and its role of strangling Comrade Enver's speech is also notable for the re­ the revolution. Indeed, the Khomeiniite thugs do not stricted range of problems that it discusses concerning even restrict their wrecking activities to the border of the oppressed nations. The major issues in Asia, Africa Iran. But Comrade Enver persists in singling out this and Latin America are left unaddressed. Indeed, Al­ regime for support and, using this speech's usual banian foreign policy in the last period seems notable subterfuge, writes that: "The Iranian people are mak­ for its passivity. But no matter what other problems the ing great efforts to defend their revolution from the speech may overlook - the fate of the revolution in threats and blackmail ofthe two superpowers." (p. 18) Nicaragua, the bloodletting in the Iran/Iraq war, the But there is no way to talk of the defense of the Iranian situation in Cambodia, the plots of the European impe­ revolution separat~ from the life-and-death struggle rialists towards Latin America - there is another issue agajnst the Khomeini regime. , that the speech of.November 10 puts into the limelight. And there is the question of Turkey. Comrade Enver "The struggle of many; countries for national sovereign­ waxes lyrical over Turkey· but there is not one word of ty over their raw materials and for independent devel­ defense of the Turkish people against the hangman opment is being waged at a higher lev~1 and in broader regime of fascist military dictators. Nor, to our know­ proportions." (p. 18) Naturally, the toiling masses are ledge has either ATA, Zeri i Popullit or any other Al­ opposed to the plunder of their labor and of their coun­ banian source condemned the Turkish fascist atrocities. try's resources by the imperialists, but the speech ap­ This raises the question: friendship with whom and pears to be referring to the maneuvers of the regimes. what kind of friendship? This fawning over the Turkey Closing its eyes to th'e intensified squeezing of the of the -fascists is not the way to cement the friendship working masses of these countries in the world econom­ between the Albanian and Turkish people, a friendship ic crisis, Enver actually says that the struggle for based on the struggle of the working people for their "independent development" is being waged "at a emancipation. Indeed, it is a scandal that, at a time higher level." Maybe in the stale rhetoric of the UN when even the bourgeoisie of many countries is forced diplomats but not in the real world. Actually, these to pretend to disassociate itself from the Turkish days even the rhetoric of the UN delegates from the un­ butchers, a socialist country revels in exchanging cul­ developed countries is reaching new lows in abject sub­ tural delegations and loving kisses with Turkey. mission to imperialism and social-imperialism. And just in case anyone may think that surely the The effect ofthis wrong stand towards the problem of Albanians, as communist revolutionaries are simply the oppressed and dependent countries is seen in how engaging in some unpleasant diplomacy with Turkey, this speech treats the questions of Argentina, Iran and Enver assures us, with respect to Turkey, that the Al­ Turkey. Here the speech flagrantly departs from the banians "make 'diplomatic love' with nobody." (p. 26) internationalist obligations binding on all progressive Continuing, Comrade Enver actually tells the world to people, to say nothing of Marxist-Leninists. These follow the example of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. Did he countries are running red with the blood ofthe workers, forget that he was speaking only three days after the 22 • 65th anniversary of the October Revolution of the dressed it to the "pseudo-democrats and pseudo­ Bolsheviks, the true example for the working people socialists" of the world. The truth is, many "pseudo­ of the world? Well, in any case, he found the right democrats and pseudo-socialists" already follow this or address for this appeal to follow Ataturk when he ad- that legacy from Ataturk.

The Balkans Major passages in Comrade Enver's speech are de­ certain restraint and maturity in dealing with the na­ voted to the situation in the Balkans. Here too the lack tional strifes in the Balkans was evident. The November ofthe class perspective strikes the eye. There is no talk 10 speech has a different tone. of the unity of the workers and peasants of the B4lkans This speech raises the struggle against certain stands against their oppressors - the revisionist and capitalist of the Yugoslav leaders to a high pitch. But all the exploiters. Instead this section of the speech is rife with ideological content is gutted from it, the question of nationalist rhetoric. Its main theme appears to be to revisionism drops out altogether, and the appear is not appeal for support for Albania on the basis of national­ against revisionism but against the south Slav peoples ist speculations and the playing off of one nationality (Yugoslavia literally means "the land of the south against another:. The Greeks and Turks are played off Slavs") and especially the sinister Serbs. On this basis, against the south Slavs and especially the Serbs, while the tone becomes heated. There is even talk of whether great play is made with the fact that the Russian and the struggle will come down to the use of force. It is Yugoslav revisionists are Slavs. not at all clear why Enver raises this issue, since he Indeed, in this speech the nationalist rhetoric goes to apparently does not expect an attempt by Yugoslavia to extremes. Enver even sees fit to remind us that a 19th invade Albania - the only danger of invasion that he century tsarist historian claimed that "since the raises is from the Soviet revisionists, whether by sea or modem Greeks are Orthodox Christians, they are by mar~hing through Yugoslavia. Slavs." (p. 36) Is this really an issue at the present Is this really the way -the PLA wants to appeal ~ time? Enver certainly doesn't tell us in what connec­ the Yugoslav people? Every day the Serbian workers tion. Instead he warns us - forewarned is forearmed and peasants, and those of the other Yugoslav na­ - of the dire calamity that someone might in the future tionalities, read Politika and other rotten Titoite re­ even call that ancient well-known Macedonian, Alex­ visionist newspapers that spread the most filthy ander the Great, a Slav. slanders against Albania. Does this speech show the Comrade Enver pays a great deal of attention in his way to fight these infamous slanders and inspire the speech to the situation of the Albanian people of Yugo­ Yugoslav toilers with the fervor needed to wage a strug­ slavia. This is natural. The plight of the Albanian re­ gle against the Titoite revisionist oppressors, a struggle gions of Yugoslavia is a serious one. The Titoite revi­ that will be conducted under difficult conditions? sionists are using all their means to persecute and sup­ Enver does grant that there are some good Serbs. press the Albanian min0rity in order to maintain a But which ones? He writes: "We are convinced that savage rule of exploitation and discrimination in the there are progressive elements among the other Albanian regions of Yugoslavia. There is presently a southern Slav peoples, as well as among the Serbs. white terror in Kosova. There is no other way to solve the problems apart from But how does Enver deal with this situation? The a change in the political stand towards Albania and the toilers of the other nationalities in the Balkans, who Albanians living in Yugoslavia. We shaIl continue on also have gone through their own trials and tribulations the course set by the 8th Congress of the Party of Labor and who live a hard life, will pay special attention to of Albania, the main report of which the Yugoslav this. They will 9se this as a test to see how serious the leaders have read upside down ....your course is PLA is about its communist convictions. Because of the fraught with many dangers for yugoslavia .... You do long tradition of nationalist hatreds in the Balkans, it not pay serious attention to our words .... " (p. 31) is likely that the class conscious elements will pay Enver talks of "progressive elements" not of class definite attention to this. forces. He asks them to make a change in Yugoslavia's Unfortunately, Comrade Enver's speech hits a attitude towards Albania without mentioning the neces­ strange tone when it deals with this question. In the sity of struggle against the Titoite regime. Thus it past, Albanian statements on Kosova have consistently appears that he is referring to some elements in the failed to give an appeal to the Albanians in Yugoslavia Titoite bureaucracy, for, without a revolution, they are to unite with the toilers of the other nationalities to the ones who have a voice on the policy towards Kosova overthrow the revisionist oppressors. Nevertheless, a and Albania.

23 The International Marxist-Leninist and Working Class Movement The main thing here is that there is nothing in this respect to the Titoites either. This failure to raise the speech on the international Marxist-Leninist move­ question of revisionism is not due to the PLA moving ment. This contrasts with the attention given to it in to reconcile with any revisionism, but is part of the former statements by the PLA, but it corresponds to the failure to raise the class questions and to discuss the lessening of interest already manifested to a certain revolutionary movement. extent in the Report to the 8th Congress. This speech is one ~f the si~~s of a d~~i!~l'assivity As vye have seen. there is also almost nothing in the on the part of the PLA towards the international Marx­ November 10 speech on the world working class move­ ist-Leninist communist movement. But this passivity ment either. It is restricted to yarious partial demands, does not mean that the PLA does not fight for certain while the appeals on the big political issues are made to stands'. This speech shows that the PLA is not just fail­ countries in general. ing to clarify various of the vexed questions of the inter­ There is also a notable lack of enthusiasm for the national movement, but is advocating wrong stands on struggle against revisionism. The Soviet Union is de­ various of these questions, such as on the questions of nounced repeatedly, but only as imperialists, not from national sovereignty, the way of agitating in the lesser the point of view of dealing with their revisionism. As imperialist countries, and the assessment of the situa­ we have seen, the issue of revisionism is not raised with tion in the oppressed and degendent countries.

The Mehmet Shehu Affair The November 10 speech is the first statement from that Mehmet Shehu was simply "a mercenary in the the PLA condemning Mehmet Shehu. However, it does pay of" the Yugoslav secret service, the KGB and the not shed any light on this serious issue. We disagree CIA and that he had been such a mercenary for over 40 with the method the PLA has followed in its public years. As farfetched as all this may appear, nothing can statements on this affair, but we have no basis to make be absolutely ruled out before seeing the evidence. any judgment one way or another on Mehmet Shehu Still, one can't but feel that there must have been some himself. political issues, if not at first. certainly as "the group of The Mehmet Shehu case is certainly one of the most plotters" was formed and activated. important issues. In his speech, Comrade Enver calls On the other hand, Enver tells us that Mehmet Shehu Mehmet Shehu "one of the most dangerous traitors . "had been criticized many times by the Party for his and enemies of socialist Albania." (p. 5) And naturally, grave mistakes." (p. 5) But what type of mistakes can the condemnation of any major leader is of importance . . be referred to, since we are also told that Mehmet Mehmet Shehu was not only one of the top leaders of Shehu never tried to distort the line of the Party? Be­ the PLA and the Albanian state, but also he was one of sides, is this discussion of a serious issue or tittle­ the Albanian leaders who are also penionalities or lead­ tattle? Everyone in a Marxist-Leninist party, from top ers in the ititernational Marxist-Leninist movement. to bottom, is criticized for his errors, and the 8th Con­ For all these reasons, one would expect that meticulous gress of the PLA presumably had an evaluation of attention and care would be taken. Mehmet Shehu's achievements and weaknesses when But the November 10 speech says nothing beyond it reelected him to the Central Committee. making one unsupported allegation after another. Until It may also be noted that, following the elections to evidence is provided, many of these allegations appear the People's Assembly, there was a series of replace­ rather farfetched. Indeed, in so far as we restrict our­ ments of officials. This appeared to be far more exten­ selves simply to considering the method used in an­ sive than usual. The PLA announced that it was just re­ nouncing this case, it bears a certain resemblance to placing older officials with younger people, that is, the Chinese methods in the Lin IUao affair. It is the that it was just a natural process. Some of the replace­ responsibility of the PLA to clarify matters in the ments may have been just that, for those officials were future. . given other responsible positions. But, on the other For the time being, it appears that the PLA does not hand, Comrade Enver did speak of a "group of plot­ want to go into the political basis of the Mehmet Shehu ters," and the rumors have been flying for some time affair. Enver insists that "Mehmet Shehu was never about Fiqret Shehu and others being missing. We able to alter or distort the line of the Party, because simply do not know what, if anything, the new appoint­ If be tried to do 80 he would be immediately unmask­ ments following the elections mean. ed." (p. 6) Note that Enver thus states that Mehmet It must be stressed that our criticism of the method Shehu not just didn't succeed in altering the PLA's the PLA has used so far in announcing the condemna­ line, but that he never tried to do so. Instead Enver says tion of Mehmet Shehu does not mean that we defend 24 • Mehmet Shehu. The PLA has told the world nothing, Mehmet Shehu's death would appear to be flaunting and we have no basis to judge, so we can neither con­ something, although who knew what. Under the cir­ demn Mehmet Shehu nor defend him. We simply do cumstances, the best thing appeared to be to pay our not know whether Mehmet Shehu has committed any respects to the memory of Mehmet Shehu in a modest crimes against the Albanian party and the revolution. but sincere way and refuse to get caught up in the (And it must be borne in mind that even if Mehmet byzantine atmosphere of intrigue that had been creat­ Shehu turns out to be not guilty of some of the appar­ ed. The article in the January 5, 1982 issue of The ently farfetched accusations, such as 40 years of being a Workers' Advocate mourning Mehmet Shehu's death spy, as charged, he may still be guilty of serious was based on the ATA announcement and the black­ crimes, such as a shorter period of sellout at the end of bordered obituary for Mehmet Shehu in Zen i Popullit, his life.) 'Nor do we know what, if any, political differ­ except that some information was added about Mehmet ence he had with the other Albanian leaders. His writ­ Shehu's failing health. Our entire Party handled the ings do not give one any reason to believe that he had situation calmly and then passed on to other business, any political differences with Comrade Enver; if politi­ refusing to get bogged down in useless speculation. cal divergencies occurred, they could just as well have [The internal bulletin points out that the PIA had said little been to one side as to the other, to the right as well as to to the outside world on the Mehmet Shehu affair. Since the the left. It is also possible that there was a quarrel internal bulletin was written in December 1982. Comrade about particulars between those holding the same basic Enver's book The Titoites has become available in English. views. While it is natural that each comrade, upon About 10% or less ofthis large book is devoted to the Mehmet hearing of the Mehmet Shehu case, would run the vari­ Shehu affair. Nevertheless. the nature of the book is such that ous possibilities through his mind, we should avoid it still does not give our Party any basis to pass judgement on getting our Party bogged down in speCUlation on these Mehmet Shehu. . things. The book The Titoites is subtitled "historical notes " and is From the start of the Mehmet Shehu affair, our Party written in the style of mem~irs. Insofar as this book takes on the question ofM ehmet Shehu. it consists mainly of more or took a cautious stand on this issue. Immediately after less plausible historical reconstructions of how things must his death, it became apparent that something was not have been. assuming that Mehmet Shehu was indeed a spy right, as the PLA and the Albanian state did not display for over 40 years. Mehmet Shehu appears in many places in the normal ceremony used on the occasion of the death the history of the PIA. Enver seeks to show how various his­ of such a person. The National Executive Committee [of torical events, which atfirst sight seem to show Mehmet She· the MLP. USA] ' did not like the backstage way in whlch hu playing a positive role, can be reinterpreted in the light of things were being handled, in which one thing is said new facts. for official consumption, but everyone is led to believe But this is a far cry from providing the documentation, the that the PLA will be unhappy if you act according to new facts. that actually prove the premise that Mehmet She­ their official announcement, because they themselves hu was a spy. The book asserts repeatedly the existence of didn't act according to their official statement. This such proof, but never provides it. The book gives some incon­ situation created the soil for the growth of rumors and clusive snippets of this or that. but it never even provides the formal party decision condemning Mehmet Shehu. wild stories. The NEC had not the slightest idea of what The way The Titoites discusses the Mehmet Shehu affair the PLA really meant and, assuming the issue was that might be more understandable if other documents had been the PLA was opposed to suicides, was surprised that published. and the book were designed simply to provide a such a strong stand was taken concerning a man who popular summary or a general orientation. But so long as this committed suicide while in failing health at an ad­ book remains the main word of the PIA on this subject. it vanced age. Was a person's whole life to be negated on appears to be a rather casual way ofhandling serious matters. such an issue? A further example of its casual nature is that the book. in Clearly the PLA's way of handling this affair put our passing,' also changes the assessment of the PIA on Nako Party and all other true friends of the Albanian people Spiru. Nako Spiru was .a leading member of the PIA (then into a difficult situation. Normally, it would have been called the Communist Party ofAlbania) who, under pressure natural to hail Mehmet Shehu's life, reprint extracts from the Yugoslav revisionists. committed suicide in late from his works, etc. But now what was to be done? Of 1947. For decades the PIA has held. and it has been ex­ course our Party could not repudiate a major revolution­ plained in Comrade Enver's writings, that. though Nako ary leader just because things seemed strange: that Spiru made grave errors. the worst being his suicide. never­ theless he was a militant of the party; wreaths were laid on would be an insult both to the Albanian people and to his grave. The book The Titoites. however. vacillates between the memory of the revolutionary. And more, it would talking ofNako Spiru in the old way and condemning him as be an insult to our integrity, for our Party is not a mere another spy who did not break away from the Titoite revision­ amplifier that picks up subtle hints and winks and puts ists near the end of his life, as formerly held. but simply be­ them out over the loudspeaker, but has its own views came a secret agent of the Soviet Union. It is apparently the based on facts. On the other hand, to make a fuss about friendship between Nako Spiru arid Mehmet Shehu that in- 25 spires this speculation by Comrade Enver. In any case, the Hence our Party still adheres to the same stand on the book does not cite any party decision by the PLA on Nako M ehmet Shehu affair as put forward in the internal bulletin. Spiru, nor has any appeared, to our knowledge, in the English We neither defend nor condemn Mehmet Shehu, and we re­ language publications from A1bania. This seems a remarkably fuse to get bogged down in useless speculation. - W Aj casual way of readjusting the stand on Nako Spiru.

Some General Comments

Now let us look at some general features of this tures of the present situation - such as the collapse of speech. First of all, it is notable that the basic themes of the Chinese revisionists or the situation in Indochina - this speech can aiready be found in the Report to the are among the causes for the present liquidationist and 8th Congress. The difference is that the Report also rightist moods that have appeared in the revolutionary contained other things. The speech selects precisely movement in many countries. those aspects of the Report to the 8th Congress that are Albania is part of the world movement and must deal wrong and magnifies them and adds to them. Thus, with the same world situation that confronts everyone while the November 10 speech does bring out the else. Perhaps one of the PLA's ways of adapting to the meaning of certain errors in the Report, on the other present situation - a situation that should be used to hand it actually is a further and serious degeneration of discard the weaknesses and illusions of the past and the line. prepare a solid foundation for the coming revolutionary Why is the PLA making these errors? For one thing, storms - is to close'their eyes, refuse to look the truth these errors indicate an inability on their part to deal clearly in the face, and instead seek to find this or that with the specific tasks required by the present situation non-proletarian force that, on the surface, seems to be in the world' and to formulate the policies needed to doing something. It seems that the PLA is displaying a guide the revolutionary movement. certain weakness for what Marx called "real politics" Today the world situation has its own special fea­ - which means to stay at the level of surface appear­ tures. The objective conditions are building up for huge ances and adapt oneself to the presently existing "re­ explosions as the world crisis ravages both the imperi­ alities." (See Marx's comments on Lasalle, Schweit­ alist metropolises and the dependent countries. The zer and co. in his letter to Kugelmann of February 23, stability of the capitalist system is being shaken once 1865)* The PLA supports this or that armed stru~~le or again, both economically and politically. At the same revolution when It tUes place, but otherwise tends not time, the new revolutionary upsurge on • world eeaIe is ' to call for the revolution but to look for some force that not yet here, although the revolution continues to break can be viewed "realistically" as currently a power. out in various individual countries. This and other fea- This has even led them to look through rose-colored

* The internal bulletin refers to Marx's comments on "real Lassalle, in so far as the bourgeois is accustomed to regard politics " in his letter to 1"ugelmann of February 23, 1865. the interest immediately in front of his nose as 'reality, . and This letter discusses the errors of Ferdinand Lassalle, a tal­ as in fact this class has concluded a compromise everywhere, ented agitator in the German working class movement who even with feudalism, whereas, in the very nature of the case, made grave reformist errors. It showed how Lassalle betrayed the working class must be sincerely revolutionary. the proletarian movement when he came to terms with "F~r a theatrically vain nature like Lassalle (who was not, Bismarck, the "iron chancellor" who was the representative however, to be bribed by paltry trash like office, a mayoralty, of the reactionary Prussian monarchy. Marx compared etc.), it was a most tempting thought: an act directly on behalf Lassalle 's version of realism with that of the liberal bourgeoi­ of the proletariat, and executed by Ferdinand Lassalle! He sie, led by Miquel, who trampled on their own high·sounding was in fact too ignorant of the real economic conditions words about a republic to come to terms with the Prussian attending such an act to be critically true to himself. The H ohenzollern emperor ofthe aristocratic Junker landlords. German workers, on the other hand, were too 'demoralized' A part of the valuable analysis in this letter reads as by the despicable 'practical politics' which had induced the follows: German bourgeoisie to tolerate the reaction of 1849-59 and "Lassalle went astray because he was a 'Realpolitiker' the stupefying of the people, not to hail such a quack savior, [practitioner of "realistic politics" - W Aj of the type ofHerr who promised to get them at one bound into -the promised Miquel, but cut on a larger pattern and with bigger aims . ... land. " He only imitated the gentlemen of the Nl!.tional Verein [the The letter goes on to comment on Lassalle's successors as liberal bourgeoisie - WAj; but while these invoked the follows: Prussian 'reaction ' in the interests of the middle class, "I think that Schweitzel' and Co. have honest intentions, Lassalle shook hands with Bismarck in the interests of the but they are 'Realpolitiker.' They want to accommodate them­ proletariat. These gentlemen had greater justification than selves to existing circumstances and not to surrender this 26 • glasses at the squabbles and shadow-boxing by the re­ and going back on what it wrote earlier in such famous gimes in power. In our discussions with the [Albanian articles as "The Theory and Practice of the Revolu­ comrades} ... , which we shall refer to later in this Bulle­ tion." tin, they referred proudly to the many countries which Another striking cltaracteristic of the speech is the nowadays compliment them for their UN speeches at­ nationalism. It is nationalist rhetoric that is generally tacking the superpowers. They told us happily that the used to fill in the gap left by the removal of the class diplomats of these countries refer to the fact that Al­ struggle and the revolution. Instead of talk of classes, bania can say what they themselves dare not say and there is speculation on nations. how some have even told the Albanians that "you are Stalin noted that nationalism can arise in periods of a genuine non -aligned country." This perhaps is part of confusion and difficulty, when people lose orientation what Comrade Enver means when he says that "Never and faith in the revolution. Referring to the period of before has Albania enjoyed an international position the rise of liquidationism in Russia, which correspond­ stronger than it has today." (p. 7) But these hopes, if ed to a lull between two powerful revolutionary up­ this indeed is what the PLA has on its mind, are illu­ surges, he wrote, in 1913 in the opening passage of sions. This is building on sand. And the price for build­ "Marxism and the National Question": ing these card-castles in the air is losing sight of the "The period of counter-revolution in Russia revolution, the class struggle and the toiling masses. brought not only 'thunder and lightning' in its In place of the revolutionary struggle, other things train, but also disillusionment in the movement appear in Comrade Enver's speech. Both nationalist and lack of faith in common forces. As long as and "three worldist" style rhetoric appears. Let us people believed in 'a bright future,' they fought start by considering the question of "three worlds­ side by side irrespective of nationality - common ism." In Comrade Enver's speech, the errors concern­ questions first and foremost! But when doubt ing the lesser imperialist powers are quite reminiscent crept into people's hearts, they began to depart, of the theory of the "second world." And the errors each to his own national tent - let every man concerning the struggle in the oppressed and depend­ count only upon himself! The 'national question' ent countries parallel those of the theory of the "third first and foremost!" (Works, Vol. 2, p. 300) world." This nationalism occurs again and again in the This does not mean that the PLA is really a Chinese November 10 speech. For example, consider the rea­ "three worlder," for it has arrived at these errors from sons that Comrade Enver gives for Albania's relations its own standpoint. As we have remarked several times with various countries, such as Turkey, Italy, Greece, in our press, ideas similar to "three worlds-ism" are etc. He does not raise an overall assessment of these common to many stands that negate the revolution. But countries and their role in the world, but such things as this does show the danger of denigrating the struggle whether there are Albanian communities in these coun- ' against "three worlds-ism" and Maoism as the PLA tries. But how can one take account of this latter con­ did at the 8th Congress, where it talked of "the Chinese sideration except in the context of the general nature of theory of 'three' worlds' ... [melting away] like salt these countries? Enver goes so far as even to praise the crystals in water." The crystals may have melted, but former Italian fascist general Azzi as a friend of the Al­ the water became salty. The fact is that the PLA only banian people without even thinking to mention wheth­ took the struggle against the "three worlds" theory so er this general ever adopted any overall democratic or far. For example, on the question of the "third world," progressive stands. (p. 25) while the PLA put forth a number of correct and valua­ In fact, things go to the extent that he turns his ble general principles, it did not continue and show how speech into a museum of historical antiquities. Yet these principles worked out in the struggle in various these tidbits about the culture of this or that nation countries and it made various cryptic remarks about prove little. Don't all nations have both progressive and progressive leaders of some unnamed countries. Now, reactionary traditions? If the Turks had their Ataturk however, the PLA is retreating from its former stand (who was a mixed blessing), didn't various Slav peo- privilege of 'real politics' to the exclusive use ofHerr Miquel to sever all connection with the Social-Demokrat [Schweit­ and Co . ... They know that the workers' press and the work· zer's newspaper - W A} in a public declaration signed by my­ ers' movement in Prussia (and therefore in the rest of Ger­ self and Engels ...... many) exist solely par la grace de la police [by the grace of the And Marx added: ..... in Germany. of course. Lassalle's police}. So they want to take the circumstances as they are. successors oppose me. in the first place. because they are and not irritate the government. just like our 'republican' frantically afraid to losing their importance. and. secondly. 'real politicians,' who are willing to 'put up with' a Hohen­ because they are aware of my avowed opposition to what the zollern emperor. Germans call 'Realpolitik.' (It is this sort of reality which "Since I am not a 'Realp,olitiker,' I have found it necessary places Germany so far behind all civilized countries.)" 27 pies, such as the Russians, Ukrainians, Byelorussians, fascist struggle in which 10% of the population of Poles, etc., take part in the Great October Socialist Yugoslavia was killed by the fascists. While the Serb Revolution, which was far more important and liberat­ bourgeoisie is undoubtedly chauvinist and reactionary, ing for the entire world than the Kemalist one? If it is also true that historically Serbia has also been the the Albanians and Greeks fought together in the 1821 home of a revolutionary working class movement from revolution - and it is hard to believe that the Greek before World War I and that Serbia was one of the most man-in-the-street oftoday really goes around talking of active areas in Yugoslavia. the "Arvanites penemeni" and "palicaria Arvanites" It would seem that the various historical reasons in memory of the Albanians who fought under Ypsilan­ don't really explain the various policies followed by the tis (pp. 27-28) - wasn't there also the bitter and PLA in its international relations. They seem to be more bloody struggle in World War IT against the fascist Axis in the nature of explanations put forward after the fact. in which the Yugoslavs, Albanians and Greeks fought Nevertheless it is significant that Comrade Enver puts shoulder to shoulder? If the Turks are to be forgiven forth reasons which have such a nationalist flavor. their regimes after the collapse of the Ottoman empire However, in noting the nationalist, "three worldist" and the friendship with them is to continue independ­ and "real politics" flavor of various of the errors in ent of regime, then why is it implied that the Albanians Comrade Enver's speech, our point is not to give an can no longer continue the sincere love that they had for overall characterization of the basis of the PLA's mis­ the Yugoslav peoples at the time ofthe National Libera­ takes. This requires further serious study, including tion War during World War II? (p. 29) paying attention to the fact that various of the errors in It also should be noted that, while in this speech the November 10 speech reflect themes that, in far less Enver agitates against the south Slavs and especially flagrant and glaring form, have occurred repeatedly in the Serbs, in past speeches he has spoken well of the earlier literature from the PLA. This is a question that Yugoslav peoples. For example, in the latter part of will require calm and patient study However, the na­ Chapter V of the Report to the 7th Congress of the PLA, tionalist and "three worldist" flavor of various of the Enver said: "We respect and trust the peoples of Yugo­ rhetoric in Enver's speech highlights the seriousness of slavia, because history has shown that they are valiant the problem and the necessity for our Party to take a peoples." In various other speeches, he has praised firm stand upholding Marxist-Leninist principle and the their liberation struggle in World War II and that of the banner of the revolution. Greeks. The Serbs took full part in the fierce anti-

On SoCialism in Albania . The policy of a country towards the world situation is gressing and eventually become higher-level collec­ dependent on that country's internal social system. We tives, etc., and to the question of reducing the gap have seen that "three world-ism" in China and Soviet between city and country. revisionism in Russia reflected the internal degenera­ As well, Albania has only modest wage differentials. tion of those countries. The errors of the PLA therefore This, and other measures painstakingly built up over raise the question of the internal situation in Albania. the years in Albania, are powerful barriers to the But the relationship between the internal and exter­ growth of anew capitalist class of bureaucrats. nal policies is not mechanical and automatic. An ex­ Albania is not entangled via debts or alliances in the amination of Albania shows that it is firmly socialist. Its imperialist system. Not only is it independent of the mistaken external policies represent a danger to social­ superpowers, but, despite the weaknesses of its line ism, the danger of a loss of vigilance on the internal towards the lesser imperialist powers, it is not entan­ front as well. But the stable socialist character of Alba­ gled in enslaving deals with them either. nia gives it the possibility to correct its errors. Albania's successes in economic construction have What are some of the features of the internal situa­ reinforced its ability to deal with ,the imperialist-revi­ tion? First of all, we note that there have been oppor­ sionist encirclement. Its farsighted policy of ensuring tunists who wanted to find something unsocialist in the development of its energy resources, its self-suffi­ Albania in order to save their opportunism. They have ciency in grain, its industrial development and so forth pored over Albania with a fine-toothed comb and failed, have reinforced Albania's position. ending up by resorting to sophistry and crude misrepre- The fact that, Albania has survived' and thrived de­ sentations. . spite the world economic crisis and despite the cutoff in In Albania, the capitalist and other exploiting classes aid from China is a sign of the vitality of Albanian have been eliminated as classes. Both industry and socialism. The positive features in the internal situation agriculture is socialist, and attention has been paid to in Albania are durable and strong. the fact that lower-level collectives must keep on pro- Of course, this does not mean that there is no danger. 28 One must keep advancing and not rest on one's laurels. recently there has been less about the fronts of revolu­ The danger is that the loss of vigilance on the external tionization of the country's life. Whether this means front may correspond to a s:milar loss of vigilance on anything, however, is hard to tell: 'the various processes . the internal front. This would give rise to the possibility of revohitionization, which have already been started of the beginning of the process which Comrade Enver and which have had their program mapped out, can calls "sclerosis," or hardening ofthe arteries and other proceed whether ot not the PLA sees fit to write about tissues, referring to the process that preceded the re­ them for the external world. To judge the situation well, ~isionist coup in the Soviet Union and corroded the Bol­ one would need specific knowledge and could not rely shevik Party from the inside over a period of years. on the apparent tone of various publications. When such a process Qccurs, it may go faster or slower, Putting this all together, we see that the hard work of but it is also possible to stop and reverse it before the Albania communists and working people has con­ reaching the point of no return. structed. a powerful base for socialism in Albania. The current Albanian literature on the internal situa­ Dangers exist, but Albania's socialist character pro­ tion deals extensively with the problems of technique vides the internal basis which would allow the PLA to and other questions of production. This is essential in correct its errors in orientation toward the world situa­ order to maintain Albania's ability to stand against the tion and the international Marxist-Leninist movement. imperialist-revisionist encirclement. On the other hand,

On the MLP's Active Attitude Towards the International Marxist-Leninist Movement Our Party has always worked and fought as a loyal from a narrow angle; we held that the issue was not just contingent of the international Marxist-leninist move­ that our Party should enjoy the support of the PLA but ment. We have sought to inculcate in the class con­ that we should help the PLA have knowledge of the scious workers and revolutionary activists the spirit of various things that it needed to know to carry out its being part of a single international army. Hence we responsibilities as a party that was in the van of the in­ neither close our eyes to the problems and controver­ ternational Marxist-Leninist movement. We made use sies in the international movement, nor damn the of those channels that were open to us to communicate movement because of them. Instead we take an active with the PLA. Besides sending them our publications, stand towards considering and learning from these we sought direct ways of contact. problems, which reflect issues facing all revolutionaries The main way of direct contact with the PLA open to all over the world. And we participate to the fullest of us has been through discussions .... We have carried our ability in resolving these controversies. It is this out these discussions regularly for over half a decade, active stand, and not the brushing aside of the issues thus stepping up our earlier contact with them. In these with official optimism and insincere, honeyed words, discussions we raised a wide range of issues from the that leads to the genuine iron unity of the international analysis of the objective conditions to the situation in movement and that is in accord with the requirements the Marxist-Leninist movement. . of Marxism-Leninism and ptoletarian internationalism. At first what was notable about these discussions was We have carried out our proletarian internationalist the comradely atmosphere created by the comrades of responsibilities in various ways. In the last few years the PLA, particularly as compared to the tension that this has required that we pay special attention to the always marked our meetings with the leadership of controversies amont the Marxist-Leninist parties. We CPC(M-L). But, as these discussions continued, it be­ .have paid close attention to the theoretical and practical came clear that this was just a surface aspect. In fact, issues that are arising. We have carried out the special these discussions were and continue to be unsatisfac­ responsibility given us by history and taken upon our­ tory. On most issues, the comrades from the PLA con­ selves the brunt of opposing ,the deviations of the lead­ sistently refused to put forward their views beyond ership of the CP of Canada (M-L) and of its various what was already in print, except perhaps with some followers. We have published our views on various of cryptic hints or by indirection. the other international issues, such as the controversy For example, in all the years of discussion we have over work in the West European movement against never received from them an exposition of their view of imperialist war preparations. And we'have spread in­ and stand towards the U.S. Marxist-Leninist movement formation on the struggle of various of the parties and the question of our Party and MLOCI"CPUSA against the rightist and liquidationist currents. (ML)," although this is obviously a central issue for Among other things, we have taken an active stand discussion and we ourselves have raised the issue of towards relations with the PLA. We did not regard this MLOC over and over again and turned over the docu- 29 mentation we have developed on the Weisberg clique. on various other issues in the international Marxist­ [The documentation being referred to was also published in Leninist movement, including the question of the RCP the series of articles in The Workers' Advocate under the title of Chile, the split in the CP of Spain (ML), the question "Against Social-Democratic Infiltration of the Marxist-Lenin­ of work in the anti-nuclear movement, etc., and on all ist Movement. . , The material given to the Albanian comrades these questions they have remained silent. included the full text of the main documents quoted from or After the 8th Congress of the PLA we expressed to cited in these articles. The CPUSA/ ML disbanded in June the Albania comrades our disagreement with their 1983. as discussed in the article "The Career of a Social- I Democrat Comes Full Circle/ Barry Weisberg's 'CPUSA/ ML '\ announcing in Zeri i Popullit that they had received Denounces Marxism-Leninism and Dissolves" in The Work­ messages from both our Party and the MLOC/"CPUSA ers' Advocate ofDecember 15, 1983. - WA] We found out (ML)." They replied with an outrageous series of fairy more about their real attitude from what they published' tales, such as that it didn't mean anything at all- they in Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA) and elsewhere had just received two messages, that's all. Since we re­ and from what was told to us by others who had visited fused to accept various evasions, at one point they fell Albania or had other contact with the PLA than from back on the assertion that there were particular con­ the discussions. The point is not that differences exist­ crete circumstances. This, of course, was precisely ed between our Party and the PLA but that the com­ what we wanted to know: their analysis of what the con­ rades from the PLA would not put forward their views crete circumstances. in the U.S. Marxist-Leninist move­ and analysis at the discussions. This not only served to ment were. So we asked them this point-blank, which destroy any real equality in these discussions and make they evaded, going no further than reiterating that them one-sided, but also made it impossible to take there were two messages. These evasions and refusal the discussions very far .. to tell us what they really thought about the U.S. Let us consider several other examples of our at­ Marxist-Leninist movement were similar to what we tempts to consult with the PLA in these discussions .... received in 1978 when we told them we disagreed with At the time of the letter of the CC of the MLP, USA of ATA reprinting a message from MLOC. In our most recent discussion with the PLA comrades June 16, 1980 to the CC of the CPC(M~L), our Party brought these matters up to the Albanian comrades. ... , we raised our disagreement with their stand on the We did not ask them to intervene in this matter, but war over the Malvinas as one of the topics. Both sides wanted to provide them with information on this im­ reiterated their stands. The one new development in portant issue in the international movement. We pro­ this was that the Albanian comrades said that they vided them with copies of our letter and supporting never refer to the question of the (Argentine) regime in documentation and accompanied it with a cover letter their statements. They implied'that the question of the from the NEC of the MLP, USA to the CC of the PLA. regimes was not that important by saying that there [The documentation referrei to consisted mainly of the cor­ . had been so many Argentine regimes and that, for ex­ respondence later published in The Workers' Advocate in ample, Italy had had over 40 post-World War II re­ 1981 under the title "The Truth About the Relations Between gimes. This vulgar and nonsensical argument has been the MLP, USA and the CPC(M-L)" - WA] The . [Albanian. verified by Comrade Enver's speech of November 10 as comrades] ... stressed that they couldn't accept the let­ indeed the attitude of the present Albanian diplomacy. ter of our Party. On the other hand, they in fact kept These examples illustrate that we have worked to talk the letter and the supporting material, saying that they matters over with the PLA and also show some of the would take it on the basis of it being a summary of the difficulties we have encountered in doing so. We will discussion that had been held between us and them. continue our work at direct contact with the PLA in From then to now, they have never expressed their order to deal with the issues that arise from the speech views on this issue. Similarly, we have talked to them of November 10.

On the Party-Wide Discussion of the November 10 Speech The entire Party should discuss Comrade Enver's and pro-party comrades, as appropriate in each case, speech of November 10. Besides the discussion in the on the criticism of the November 10 .speech raised in basic units and branches of this Internal Bulletin, dis­ this bulletin .... cussion should also be organized with the sympathizers

What I to Say Externally Outside Our Circles Generally speaking, on the November 10 speech or ence between our stands and that of the PLA is brought other questions of the line of the PLA, when the differ- up we say, yes, there is a difference, and we concen- 30 • trate on explaining our line. [that is. expiaining our Party's and its various points .... stand on the world event or issue in question. rather than On the other hand, we still maintain the same harsh analyzing the e"or of the PLA. - WAJ. That is still the stand towards the bad elements who have no serious general method that should be followed. But there is a interest in the political questions involved but simply certain shift in the overall tone which we will!:>e using. bring up the difference between our stands and those of , .. when we are asked that we think of the speech of the PLA as a provocation .... November 10, we can condemn it as a whole, rather As well, we can give our view on Mehmet Shehu ex­ than just this or that point .... Generally speaking, we ternally when asked. That is, it cim be said nothing should only agree that this or that error brought up by much has yet been released by the PLA on the case of others is indeed wrong and that the speech as a whole is Mehmet Shehu and so we can't say anything about bad, and not start explaining our analysis of the speech Mehmet Shehu and we don't speculate on it. ... 0

31 On Comrade Enver Hoxha's 'Report to ,the 8th Congress of the PLA' of November, 1981

The Internal Bulletin of December 4, 1981 Below we reproduce the bulk of the internal bulletin International Situation and the Foreign of our Party which discussed Comrade Enver Hoxha's Pollcy of the PSRA' ...... •..•.....•...... •..••. 35 Report to the 8th Congress of the PLA submitted on On the oppressed countries ...... •..•.•• 36 November 1. 1981. This Report showed that the PLA On the lesser imperialist countdes and was no longer playing the same role in the ,interna­ the national question ...... •....•...... •..••.• 37 tional Marxist-Leninist movement as it had been at the The economic struggle ...... •..•....•...• 38 time of the 7th Congress. Its weaknesses represented Turkey, Iran, and the Islamic movement ..•••.' .•. 39 problems which were becoming prominent in the stand Weaknesses In the Chapter Entitled of the PLA on world events and on the controversial 'The Struggle AgaInst Revisionism. questions of the international Marxist-Leninist move­ The Revolutionary and Liberation Movement ment. This bulletin, written within a month of the 'close at the Present Stage' ...... •...•••.•...•..•.• 40 of the 8th Congress, was cautious in its assessment of the weaknesses of the Report because only time would On the Security for This Bulletin/omitted} tell what was simply weaknesses in the writing of the Report and what was significant. Nevertheless. it pro­ vided an accurate and fairly thorough analysis of the This bulletin has been prepared before the edition of essential features of the Report to the 8th Congress. the Report to the 8th Congress in Proletarian Interna­ Subsequent events have verified its views. tionalism has appeared. Therefore all page references Some explanatory notes, which are clearly marked. to the Report are to the book edition from Tirana. In have been added to this bulletin. order to help fInd these references in the PI edition. the following list of page numbering from the book edi­ CONTENTS tion is provided: Introduction ...... 3-10 On the Report to the 8th Congress ...... •...... 32 Chapter! ...... 11-65 Chapter II ...... 66-110 Reiteration of the Stable Marxist-LenInIst Chapterlli ...... 111-160 Stand of the PLA ...... •...... •...•..•...... 34 Chapter IV ...... 161-223 WeakneS8esIn the Chapter Entitled 'The Chapter V ...... 224-277

On the 'Report to the 8th Congress' Recently the 8th Congress of the PLA was held. This world today and because the Party of Labor of Albania was an important event of interest to the entire inter­ has an honored position in the van of the international national Marxist-Leninist movement. Because socialist movement, naturally allover the world Marxist-Lenin­ Albania is the only genuine socialist country in the ists will tum their attention to a serious study of the 32 •

documents from the 8th Congress. .our Party, like the other revolutionary Marxist­ The 12th Plenum of the Central Committee of the Leninists the world over, values highly the enormous MLP met in November. One of the topics on the agenda contributions of the PLA to the international Marxist­ was the evaluation of the Report on the Activity of the Leninist movement. The PLA has led the Albanian Central Committee of the PLA Submitted to the 8th working class and people in revolution and in the de­ Congress. This Internal Bulletin has been prepared by fense of socialism. It has made an immense contribu­ the National Executive Committee on the basis of the tion to the struggle against modern revisionism, having discussion and decisions of the 12th Plenum for the never relented against Yugoslav revisionism, having purpose of orienting the discussions inside our Party on been the first to recognize the features of Soviet revi­ the Report to the 8th Congress. sionism, having opened up the period of the worldwide A congress is an important event in the life of a party. condemnation of the "three worlds" theory, Chinese The Report to the 8th Congress confirmed the stable revisionism, and Mao Zedong Thought, and so forth. It Marxist-Leninist stand of the PLA on it series of funda­ has followed the teachings of Marx, Engels, Lenin and mental questions, such as the building of socialism, Stalin on the building of socialism and has shown the opposition to the superpowers, the struggle against all invincible power wielded even by a small people if they the currents of modern revisionism, and so forth. These follow the revolutionary road. For these reasons and clear stands of the 8th Congress are important factors more our Party painstakingly studies and widely popu­ preserving Albania as the bright red beacon of social­ larizes the experience and views of the PLA. For these

ism beckoning to the proletariatl peasants and pro­ reasons, our Party's campaigns in favor of socialist gressive people the world over. . Albania find favor in the eyes ofthe proletariat and pro­ Atthe same time, however, the Report has a series of gressive people. But the only lasting support for social­ weaknesses and omission's in its discussion of the inter­ ist Albania is that which is based on a mature and real­ national situation in general and of the situation in the istic assessment of its stands and activity. That is why international Marxist-Leninist movement in particular. there is no contradiction between our firm and enthusi­ The Report is ineffectual in dealing with various of the astic 'support for socialist Albania and our careful vexed questions raised by the rightist currents in, or assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the putting pressure on, th"e world Marxist-Leninist move­ Report to the 8th Congress. That too is one reason why ment. Thus the Report to the 8th Congress will not play the Leninist norms of relations between the different the same role internationally as the Report to the 7th national contingents of the world Marxist-Leninist Congress did. movement includes independence and equality along The Report to the 7th Congress played a major role in with mutual support and cooperation. The PLA, with its the international movement; it served as the rallying magnificent achievements to its credit, has no need of point for a world struggle against the "three worlds" yes men and sycophants. theory and Chinese revisionism. The Report to the 7th The National Executive Committee, after reading the Congress opened the period of the worldwide condem­ Report to the 8th Congress, authorized its publication nation ofthe "three worlds" theory and gave the call to in Proletarian Internationalism. The 12th Plenum of the continue and deepen the great polemic against Central Committee confirmed this decision. But the modern revisionism. It gave weight to solidarity with 12th Plenum had also to decide what the nature of the Marxist-Leninist parties of the world and posed the im­ distribution of the Report should be, that is, should portant question of the forms of cooperation in the in­ there be a campaign around the Report or not and so ternational Marxist-Leninist movement. It underscored forth. Our Party decides on the nature of the distribu­ the vital importance of proletarian internationalism, of tion of various documents on the basis of what serves Marx and Engels' great call "Workers of all countries, the interests of the revolution and of Marxism -Leninism unite!", and brought to the fore Lenin's teachings on in the particular situation. This applies to documents the one, and only one, klOd of real internationalism. On from any source, whether our Party's documents or question after question, the Report not only described those of other parties. The 12th Plenum decided that, the particular stands of the PLA, but reiterated the as the Report to the 8th Congress will not play the same Marxist-Leninist fundamentals underlying these role as that to the 7th Congress, our Party will not wage stands, a reiteration of especial importance at a time a special campaign to popularize it in the fashion of that when Chinese revisionism and "three worldism" waged to popularize the Report to the 7th Congress, but were confusing everything. The Report to the 8th will simply circulate it as any other issue of Proletarian Congress will not have this same international signifi­ Internationalism. The present campaign in favor of cance. The 8th Congress is a congress of militant social­ socialist Albania will center on socialism and the propa­ ism, a communist congress, but not a congress which gation of the principles of Marxism-Leninism and will clarifies the issues agitating the international Marxist­ not center on the 'Report to the 8th Congress. Leninist movement. However, the 12th Plenum also held that the Report 33 should be studied and thoroughly discussed inside the of the Party's circles, and with fraternal comrades, we Party. Among the pro-party and sympathizers, this dis­ should confine ourselves to indicating - along the lines cussion and study should be taken to the extent that is of The Workers' Advocate of November 29, 1981, for appropriate. In this discussion, a balanced picture of example - that the Report confltms the principled the Report should be given. Both the strengths and Marxist-Leninist stand of the PLA. And, as always, in weaknesses of the Report should be brought out and discussing the Marxist-Leninist stand on the questions addres~ed along the lines set forth by this Internal of the day, we put to the fore discussion of the line of Bulletin. In other contexts, in the Party press, outside our Party on these issues.

Reiteration of the Stable Marxist-Leninist Stand of the PLA In the rest of this .Internal Bulletin, we outline the iat, the relationship of the party to the mass organiza­ strengths and weaknesses ofthe Report. We pegin with tions, and so forth. In economic work, the PLA will con­ the positive features of the Report. tinue to pay attention to the constant perfection of the The Report to the 8th Congress reiterates the Marx­ socialist relations of production, to the class struggle, ist-Leninist stands of the PLA on a whole series of and to the leading role of the Party. cardinal questions of the revolution and socialism. This On the international front, the Report reiterates is a powerful victory of the PLA in the face of the fierce Albania's stand of resolute opposition to the super­ pressure exerted against Albania by the imperialist­ powers and the other imperialists. Defying the day­ revisionist encirclement. Since the 7th Congress, the dreams of the opportunists, the Report issues a major Chinese revisionists have broken off their relations with condemnation of both the VI S. imperialists and the the PLA, launched fierce attacks against it, and become Soviet social-imperialists and as well the strategy of the part of the imperialist-revisionist encirclement. Judg­ European monopolies to transform Europe into a super­ ing that the PLA was "isolated," the rest of the imperi­ power. It also denounces the enslaving neo-colonialism alist-revisionist gang of wolves exulted, thinking that of the imperialists, the fraud of the non-aligned move­ now Albania would have to capitulate to one or other ment and the hullabaloo over the new international superpower or imperialist. But Albania has brushed economic order. As well, it is notable that the Report, in aside these man-eating fiends with contempt. It stands denouncing the increased warmongering of V.S. im­ firm, defying the reactionaries and encouraging the perialism under the Reagan administration, connects proletariat and progressive people around the world. this with the policy begun under Carter, stating, "This Among other things, the Report records the victories line is also expressed in the new 'doctrine' of Washing­ of socialist construction in Albania since the 7th Con­ ton, begun by Carter and further developed by Reagan, gress. Despite the Chinese revisionist treachery and that allegedly peace in the world and the security of despite the difficulties of building socialism in a small peoples can be achieved by means of the 'increase of country surrounded by enemies, socialism has marched the American power and superiority.''' (pp. 168-69) forward nonstop in Albania. While the Soviet revision­ With respect to the international Marxist-Leninist ists and the East European revisionists - the Polish movement, the Report reiterates the PLA's fervent revisionists being the most dramatic example - are opposition to the various currents of revisionism. Ex­ bogged down in economic difficulties, in stagnation, in tensive passages in the Report deal in particular with bureaucracy, in chaos, while the Chinese revisionists, Soviet revisionism, Yugoslav revisionism, Eurocom­ the Titoites and so forth are all in decay, while the munism, and Chinese revisionism. As w~ll, the Report whole revisionist crew stretches out its hands for alms deals in detail with the dangerous situation created by to the imperialists, to each other, to anyone, to help pull the persecution by the Yugoslav revisionists of the them ~ut of their crisis, genuine socialism marches Albanians in Kosova and other regions of Yugoslavia. onward in Albania. While capitalism sinks further into The Report also points to the importance of socialist its general crisis and millions upon millions are thrown consciousness in inspiring the mass struggle. It states: out of work even in the industrial heartlands, socialism "The Ideas of genuine socialism have been and remaln develops steadily and without crisis in Albania. This is a great force to inspire, mobUize and organize the revo­ a dramatic illustration of the superiority of the socialist lutionary struggle of the masses." (p. 259, emphasis as system and of the distinction between genuine·social­ in the original) Related' passages occur on pages ism and revisionist state capitalism. 226-27, 260, and 262-63. The passages on pp. 260 and The Report declares that Albania will continue to 262-63 connect this question with the dissemination of march along the road of socialist construction, continue the Marxist-Leninist science. The first of these to follow the Marxist-Leninist teachings on the con­ passages states: "The liberation of the consciousness s$ruction of socialism, the dictatorship of the proletar- of the proletariat and peoples from the inhibiting influ- 34 • ence of revisionism, the dissemination of Marxism­ ralsmg the question of this concept in its rumor­ Leninism which points out the only correct ,source for mongering in certain East Indian circles, The Workers' the struggle and victory, is a primary task today in Advocate made sure to include an extensive passage on order to carry forward the revolutionary process in each this concept in the article "Fdrward Along the Path of country and on a world scale." (p. 260) The other the Founding Congressl" And now we see that the passage states: "In these conditions, it is of first-rate Report endorses this Marxist-Leninist conception, importance that all the communists and noncommu­ holding that: "They (the party and the proletariat) nists, progressives and all the masses of the people study with the greatest care the various people's tevo­ , should clearly understand that their real enemy is capi- lutionary currents which clash with capitalism and its talism, that it must and can be overthrown through parties, assess their directions, the ratio of forces in the revolutionary struggle. In this way, pessimism will be concrete situation, and on this basis, decide and put eliminated, and their courage and confidence in victory into practice all those skillful tactics which must be will be increased. The science of Marx and Lenin builds used to'lead t!te popular masses on the correct victor­ up this confidence of the proletariat and the masses and ious course, to channel thousands of streams into the makes it invincible." great torrent of the revolution, in which the capitalist Finally, there is another feature of the Report which, bourgeoisie will be drowned." (p. 263) Of course, the although a side poirit, is of interest. The crusaders Report states this, not ,in order to pass judgment on the against ' ideological struggle, [this refers to the leader­ war of the leadership of CPC(M-L) against our Party, ship of the CP of Canada (M-L), who denied the Marxist­ but simply because this concept is one of the ABC's of Leninist teachings on ideological struggle and other subjects Marxism-Leninism, a basic part of communist strategy and denounced our Party as the "theoreticians of 'ideological and tactics. It is all but certain that it did not occur.to struggle' and the 'movement' .• - W A}. in their attempts to anyone that this passage involved a concept controver­ strangle our Party, have denounced our Party's adher­ sial among Marxist-Leninists. But such an inadvertent ence to the Marxist-Leninist conception of working to comment on the controversy over this concept is, in its merge all the revolutionary currents into a single own way, the most damning ~ondemnation of the lead- , torrent of socialist revolution. Their opposition to this ership ' of CPC(M-L)'s cavalier attitude to Marxism­ concept is another one of their blunders and is closely Leninism. connected with their semi-anarchist phrasemongering These positive features of the Report illustrate that against "campaigns" and "movements," while our the 8th Congress was indeed a congress where the PLA Party's enthusiasm for this concept reflects that we are stuck firm to its principles. And it is this which ~l a party of revolutionary action, a party that works hard most likely be what is most noticed about the Report by for Marxism-Leninism right inside the mass move­ , most people. ments. Because the leadership of CPC(M-L) was

Weaknesses In the Chapter EntItled 'The International Situation and the Foreign Polley of the PSRA' I We shall now go into the weaknesses of 'the Report. The weaknesses of the Report, on the cO,ntrary, in­ We shall deal with this aspect of the Report at far great­ volve certain vexed questions of the present-day Marx­ er length than we did with the strengths. This IS not a ist-Leninist movement. These are questions that need backhanded way of giving an overall assessme(lt of the careful elaboration. True, our Party has a clear stand on Report. Our assessment is that given above: in brief, the questions that we shall discuss. But even so, it is the Report reiterates the Marxist-Leninist stand of the worthwhile to discuss these questions carefully and PLA, but does not clarify the vexed questions of the in­ patiently. As well, since we are not dealing in ~is ternational Marxist-Leninist movement. We shall bulletin with the flagrant errors of the opportunists, but spend more time on the weaknesses of the Report be­ with weaknesses in a Marxist-Leninist document, cause the strengths involve the reiteration of the basic I naturally the questions involved are more subtle and Marxist-Leninist stands, stands that have been elabo­ require more care. rated elsewhere and many of which have been reiter­ To begin with, it should be noted that in general the ated repeatedly in millions of copies in our press and Report is written much "looser" then usual; the writing that of other parties. We never tire of repeating these is not as systematic, nor the formulations as precise, as Marxist-Leninist truths, because they involve the revo­ they might be. This looseness adds to the difficulty of lutionary stand on the various cardinal questions of discussing the Report. Sometimes, for example, theory and of assessment of the present-day situation. strange formulations are given that, however, mean But it suffices in a bulletin of this nature simply to refer nothing because they are just loose writing. For ex­ to them. ample, consider the description of the origin of the 35 1- "non-aligned" movement. The Report states that: in them. Furthermore, the Report generally makes no "The basis of it was advocacy of nonparticipation in distinction between the bourgeois nationalist states and political and military blocs and defense of the interests the outright lackey, capitalist-feudalist regimes. It then of the economically undeveloped countries against the tends to portray all these states in too glowing colors. superpower policy. Now, however, when the rivalry For example, the Report lauds "the emergence of between the superpowers has increased .... " (p. 191) scores of new states which, to this or that extent, are This appears to label the Soviet Union a superpower fighting to achieve complete political and economic in­ back in the 50's and a legitimate target of the "non­ dependence." The qualifying phrase "to this or that bloc" policy. However, this is obviously not Comrade extent" does not sufficiently correct the overall im­ Enver's intention. pression that this passage creates. It goes: "The class Another example occurs in the discussion of the and liberation struggles, the general weakening of the present-day world economic crisis. The Report states positions of imperialism, which came about as a result that: "Unlike the crisis of the 30's, whic~ included the of the destruction of the colonial system and the emer­ United States of America and the big developed coun­ 'gence of scores of new states, which, to this or that ex­ tries especially, the present crisis has engulfed all the tent, are fighting to achieve complete political and capitalist countries, developed or undeveloped, without economic independence, have exerted an influence, in­ exception." (pp. 177-78) The assertion that the crisis of deed a great decisive influence, on the birth and devel­ the 30's was not universal does not appear to be correct opment of the present crisis." (p. 178) or in accord with the usual description of the crisis of Another example is a passage which states that neo­ the 1930's. For example, Stalin in the Report to the 17th colonial states have "woken up" and, in a far too un­ Party Congress in 1934 talks of the . 'world economic qualified way, asserts that they want to make produc­ crisis, .. of the industrial crisis affecting "every capital­ tive investments with their revenues. The passage ist country without exception, " of there being both an states: "The producing countries, which have woken up industrial and an agrarian crisis, of capitalism striving and are defending their interests, which are seeking to alleviate the situation at the expense of, among development, want to make investments in industry, others, "the peasants in the colonies and economically agriculture and other sectors of their national economy, weak countries, " and so forth. (Ch. I, Introduction and are resisting the pressure for low prices for oil and raw Section 1) materials. " In terms of content, there are weaknesses in the last In these and other passages, the Report exaggerates two chapters of the Report. We shall now proceed to even what could be said of the bourgeois nationalist examine the weaknesses in the chapter entitled ~'The regimes. Furthermore, the Report does not in these International Situation and the Foreign Policy of the passages distinguish between the various types of PSRA." regimes and talks in general of "producing countries" and so forth. Instead everything appears to be thrown On the Oppressed Countries into one pot and tends to be painted in shining colors. Thus the Report even puts' 'national revolutionary con­ We shall begin with the treatment of the dependent sciousness" into close connection with the acts of these countries and former colonies. As the PLA has always states, stating: "National revolutionary consciousness done, the Report sharply condemns the neo-colonial is mounting everywhere. This is clearly apparent in the system of imperialist enslavement. Neverthess, there extension of the movement of various countries and are a number of problems. The Report has a certain forces which are struggling for the establishment of tendency to downplay the decisive importance of the national sovereignty over their own national assets, re­ proletariat, peasantry and other toilers in these coun­ evaluation of raw materials and sources of energy ... tries and fails to draw out the crucial class distinctions (etc.) .... " (p. 189) It is clear that it is precisely the dis­ in various phenomena. Thus in discussing the role of tinction between ' [the threeforces, namely] the popular the states of the oppressed countries and the role of the revolutionary forces, the. reformist bourgeois-national­ peoples' struggles ofthese countries, there is a marked ist forces, and the outright reactionaries that is being tendency in the Report to fail to properly distinguish slurred over in these passages. between the struggles of the peoples and that of the In places the Report tends to downplay the signifi­ states. The terms "peoples," "countries," and cance of the toiling mas'ses in the anti-imperialist "states" are used in this regard without sharp differ­ current of the oppressed peoples. There is a striking entiation. example of this weakness in the description given of the In fact, it is necessary to take into account the actions class basis for the growth of national revolutionary con­ of the newly emerged bourgeois states. But the Report sciousness and opposition to imperialism. The Report tends not to deal with the capitalist and exploitative describes "the creation of new local social strata such nature of these states or with the internal class struggle as the national bourgeoisie, workers of various cate- 36 gories, and a new intelligentsia necessary to work in the Our Party has stated its position in firm support of economic, political and administrative sectors." (p. the struggle of the working class in the developed capi­ 189) This would be a natural place to describe the dif­ talist countries against the U.S. imperialist yoke. We ferent motives, roles and actions of the various strata. hold that the struggle against U.S. hegemony is inti­ Instead the Report confines itself to singling out the mately connected with the struggle against the internal role ofthe new intelligentsia. It continues: "This devel­ capitalist-imperialist ruling classes and governments opment has opened the eyes of many people of these and can only be resolved through the socialist revolu­ strata, especially among the new intelligentsia, who no tion; this struggle must be based on the revolutionary longer reconcile themselves to the forms and methods struggle of the proletariat and other exploited masses. which are used for the oppression and exploitation of But in the Report, the passages on the struggle for "na­ their peoples." tional sovereignty" in these countries do not tie the This formulation about the new intelligentsia is in question to the internal class struggle and the socialist stark contrast to, for example, the analysis given in the revolution. famous article "The Theory and Practice ofthe Revolu­ It should also be noted that the formulations in the tion." There it says that "the strengthening of national Report on the national problem in the developed capi­ independence against imperialism .. .is linked, first of talist countries do not make the necessary distinctions all and mainly, with the increase ofthe proletariat .... " between the big imperialist powers and the weaker (COUSML pamphlet edition, p. 18) countries such as Portugal, Spain, or Greece. For ex­ ample, it may well be the case the U.S. imperialism is "more and more" · gripping various of the weaker coun­ On the Lesser Imperialist Countries tries of Europe and other capitalist countries, but it and the National Question seems quite unlikely that such sweeping assessments apply to the big imperialist powers of Western Europe Another front on which there appears to be a number or to Japan, and probably not to Canada either. i [In of weaknesses in the Report is on the question of the fact, although itis quite likely that foreign capital is flowing lesser imperialist powers. The Report contains pas­ into various of the weaker countries ofEurope, this is capital sages which strongly condemn the lesser imperialist from the stronger European powers as well as the U.S. - powers. For example there is a passage which strongly WAJ condemns the European imperialists in NATO and says As well, some passages appear to portray all the mis­ that "The strategy of the European monopolies is fortunes and tensions in Europe as the work of the aimed at the transformation of Europe, first into an superpowers alone, leaving out the -question of the economic superpower, then into a political superpower, diverse and powerful capitalist interests at work in and later still into a military superpower." (p. 183) But Europe and of the fact that imperialist West Germany, there are other passages which appear to tone down Britain, France, etc., are also aggressive powers which this criticism or, at least, render it less spirited. threaten the-peace and security of the world. For ex­ In this regard, the formulations in the Report de­ ample, the Report states: "We have said and still say scribing the national problem facing the working class that the participation of the majority of the countries of in the developed capitalist countries of Western Eu­ Europe in the military and the political blocs of the rope, Japan, Canada, and so forth, are weak. Certain superpowers is the cause of its misfortune . .This is statements refer to the restriction of "the freedom of where the divisions and splits in Europe, the frequent action and independent stands" (p. 2(0) or "the inde­ tensions and confrontations between different countries pendent political action" (p. 267 - in the last chapter of this continent, have their source." (p. 199) The of the Report) in such a way that, if these formulations Report goes on to state, a page later, that "Our view is were used by anyone else, it might appear that they that only resolute opposition to American imperialism were bemoaning the fact that the present-day regimes and Soviet social-imperialism, the liquidation of mili­ of these countries are not fully exerting themselves. As tary blocs and the removal of atomic weapons and well, the analysis is made that in these countries the foreign troops can ensure the peace in Europe." (p. national problem is growing very acute as U.S. imperi- 201) . alism is "more and more restricting the national sover­ Of course, all the lesser imperialist powers in Europe eignty, restricting the independent political action ... , are associated with the superpower war blocs. There­ and turning them gradually into vassal states." It does fore, the formula of struggle against the superpowers not appear that such a blanket statement can be made, and their war blocs is correct, when it is taken as also . nor that it is consistent with the phenomena noted else­ including struggle against the other, component im­ where in the Report of the decline of "the policial and perialisms. For the various bourgeois-revisionist coun­ economic power of the United States ... in comparison tries in the war blocs in Europe, iJtespective of whether with that of Western Europe." (p. 182) various of the weaker ones should be called imperialist, 37 the question of detaching themselves from alignment is true that the economic struggle can be used to great with any imperialist war bloc is intimately connected effect to expose the opportunists among wide sections with the question of social revolution. The Report, how­ of the workers; but it is clear that this result of the eco­ ever, on one hand denounces the strategy of a Euro­ nomic struggle is above all dependent on the work of pean superpower, but on the other hand gives formula­ the Marxist-Leninists and class conscious workers. tions about throwing the superpower war blocs out of While the economic struggle is an absolutely necessary Europe that tend to lose sight of the connection of this part of the class struggle, what seems to be lacking is question with that of the socialist revolution and the the discussion of the need for the intervention of the struggle against the European imperialist bourgeoisie. Marxist-Leninist parties in order to achieve the expos­ There is one final point on the lesser imperialist ure of the opportunists and to raise the consciousness of powers. Although the Report dearly labels the lesser the workers and of the need to utilize the economic imperialist powers as "imperialist" in various pas­ struggle as part of the general revolutionary process. sages, in a number of other passages it appears to avoid This one-sidedness of the Report may not be so calling them that. In these other passages, it tends to striking unless it is compared to the analysis presented' preserve the word "imperialist" for the superpowers in other Albanian literature where there is often an ap­ while calling the lesser imperialist powers "big capital­ parent awkwardness in the other direction. For exam­ ist powers" or "other Western capitalist powers," etc. ple, often the value of the economic struggle appears to This too tends to soften, Qr, at least, render less spir­ be denigrated by formulations stressing that the issue ited, the overall denunciations ofthese powers. is political struggle. For example, in Eurocommunism Is Anti-Communism Comrade Enver writes: The Economic' Struggle "At present, there are millions who come out on strikes, in demonstrations for economic claims, The Report also seems to manifest a certain one­ which also have a political character, because they sidedness in its description ~f the struggle of the work­ are fighting capitalism which refuses to recognize ing class in the capitalist countries on the economic the rights of workers. However, all these end up in front and for certain other limited demands. In this peri­ an agreement between trade union bosses and od of deepening world economic crisis, it makes great capitalists, who make the strikers some minor con­ sense to pay close attention to the economic struggle. cession, just to give them a certain satisfaction. .But the Report seems to attribute to these struggles However, if these claims are given a real political qualities which they don't have., character, the tools of capital in the trade-unions For example, after a paragraph describing th,at "In and capital itself are placed in great difficulties. the present period the workers' struggle has been di­ "The worker aristocral.!y and the capitalist rected especially against the consequences of the eco­ bourgeoisie are very much afraid of the linking of nomic crisis," a struggle to retain jobs and real wage the economic struggle with the political struggle. levels and so forth, the Report in the next paragraph They fear the political struggle, because it leads says that this·"daily confrontation between the working the working class a long way, and even leads it to class and the bourgeoisie," referring back mainly to the clashes and battles." (PI edition, p. 75, col. 2- economic struggle, "is also a fiirect and powerful blow p. 76, col. 1) against the sinister forces of war .... " This passage Or again, in Imperialism and the Revolution, Com­ reads: "The social and political demagogy of capitalism rade Enver Hoxha, writes: and the opportunism and sabotage activity of social­ "The trade unions, which are reformist and are democracy and the trade unions under their control are especially educated and trained in compromises also being exposed and unmasked in this daily con­ with the owning class and only for economic claims frontation between the working class and the bour­ and not for strikes with political demands and aims geoisie. This anger and revolt, which is hitting the ofthe seizure of state power by the proletariat.. .. " capitalist and revisionist bourgeoisie in different forms (PI edition, p. 19, col. 2) and with different intensities, is also a direct and pow­ In these writings, Comrade Enver says that the op~ erful blow against the sinister forces of war which want portunists and trade union bosses restrict the struggle the destruction of mankind." (p. 174) This passage is to economic claims and tends to neglect to add that the all the more striking given the fact that the Report fails trade union bureaucrats also sabotage the economic to so much as mention the massive political movement struggle. In the Report, certain of this one-sidedness emerging against imperialist war preparations in the is corrected, but apparently there is a certain one­ capitalist countries. sidedness in the other direction. As well, the passage we have just quoted describes {Let us pause a moment to elaborate more explicitly on the that the opportunism of the social-democrats and revi­ point that the internal bulletin makes on the awlcwardness of sionists is being exposed by the economic struggle. It Comrade Enver's formulations on the economic struggle. To 38 .... • begin with, let us examine in more detail the points the inter­ bureaucrats divert the workers' struggle onto the path of be­ nal bulletin made on certain of his formulations prior to the ing satisfied with small concessions. But he does not show Report to the 8th Congress. how, in the capitalist offensive. the trade union bureaucrats It is essential to work for linking the economic struggle with actually collaborate with the employers to worsen the work­ the political struggle. It is also essential to take account of the ers' conditions, nor how the small concessions obtained at war of the labor bureaucracy and the refot;mists against revo­ certain times are usually for the benefit of a handful, while lutionary politics in the trade unions. Insofar as Comrade the interests of the majority of the working class are sold out. Enver is simply making these points, he is co"ect. In general, he appears to have trouble dealing with the actual But his formulations went further than this. He appears to economic and political issues being fought over at the present have a hard time dealing with any economic struggles that do time. not immediately take up revolutionary political demands. At Comrade Enver takes a somewhat different tack at the 8th one point, he tries to attribute political character to all eco­ Congress, as the internal bulletin points out. Before, when he nomic struggles, saying that these struggles "have a political raised the need to link the economic and political struggles, character because they are fighting capitalism which refuses he seemed to tend towards denigrating the economic move­ to recognize the rights of workers. " But, in these passages in ment. In the Report to the 8th Congress, he seems to go ioo Imperialism and the Revolution and Eurocommunism Is Anti­ far in the other direction and to exaggerate the significance of Communism, he mainly seems to denigrate the value of the the purely economic movement. Hefalls back on the idea that economic struggle. He suggests that the dividing line be­ he developed earlier, that the economic movement, in and of tween reformist sellouts and real struggle is whether the vari­ itself. has a political character. Now he goes so far as to sim­ ous claims take on . 'a real political character, " or even the ply announce that the economic movement already has vari­ aim of the seizure of state power by the proletariat. This ous political qualities, such as being "a direct and powerful seems to indicate difficulty in dealing with the struggle for blow against the sinister forces of war" and exposing social­ partial demands and particularly the economic struggle. democracy. As the bulletin points out, while the ·economic This appears to give rise to, or be related to, the difficulty movement should be used as a lever to build the revolutionary that Comrade Enver has in characterizing the treachery of the movement. the economic movement does not, in itself. with­ labor bureaucracy and the reformists. He mainly raises sim­ out the intervention of the Marxist-Leninists and revolution­ ply that they oppose political demands. His denunciation that ary Class conscious workers. have these qualities. the econom 'c struggles they lead end up "with an agreement Thus Comrade Enver's formulations on the economic strug­ between trade union bosses and capitalists" is awkward. It is gle in Imperialism and the Revolution, Eurcommunism Is true that when the trade union bureaucrats sabotage a strug­ Anti-Communism. and the Report to the 8th Congress. while gle it ends up with a class-collaborationist agreement, if it describing certain generalfeatures ofthe class struggle, have isn't smashed altogether, but the point is to be able to distin­ definite limitations in giving precise orientation for the tasks guish between class-collaborationist sellout agreements and of the Marxist-Leninists. They appear to be awkward and one­ agreements that cap a successful struggle. All struggles that sided. - WA] .do not end up with either the proletariat seizing power or the bourgeoisie smashing the workers will end up in an agree­ ment, that is, a contract, a compromise. The point is to distin­ guish bad agreements from good agreements, and direct the Turkey, Iran, and the Islamic Movement scorn and condemnation of the working class at the sellouts. In regard to two countries in particular, Turkey and This cannot usually be done with such criteria as simply Iran, the Report fails to fulfill the internationalist whether political demands were raised or whether the revolu­ responsibilities of the Party of Labor of Albania. It is a tionary aim of seizing state power was P!lt forward. definite error for the Report to praise at such length the Indeed, Comrade Enver's. denunciation of the political role of the trade union bureaucrats is also awkward. He says that positive traditions of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and the they are opposed to politics in the trade union movement. good relations between the PSRA and the Turkish While the idea of . 'trade union neutrality, " that is, the politi­ government without a single mention of the fact that cal neutrality of the trade unions, is indeed one of the main the present-day fascist Turkish dictators are mas­ ideological weapons of reformism in the working class move­ sacring and torturing the Turkish Marxist-Leninists, ment, it is also .true that the trade union bureaucrats and workers, and progressive masses. (pp. 217-218) (This is reformists, at the same time, seek to bring reformist politics aside from the question, in and of itself, of whether into the trade unions. Various trade unions are affiliated to re­ Kemal Ataturk was praised too much. Stalin states that formist and revisionist trade union centers and fight for the •• A Kemalist revolution is a revolution of the top stra­ political stands of these opportunist centers. Therefore it is tum, a revolution of the national merchant bourgeoisie, not enough to simply say that the reformists and trade union arising in struggle against the foreign imperialists, and bureaucrats oppose all politics. It is necessary to show how they fight revolutionary politics with reformist politics and to whose subsequent development is essentially directed be able to bring out the particular ~ays in which the trade against the peasants and workers, against the very pos­ union bureaucrats and the reformists sabotage the class sibility of an agrarian revolution." ("Talk With Stu­ stands ofthe proletariat and seek to politically demobilize the dents of the Sun Yat-Sen University, May 13, 1927," working class. On the Opposition, pp. 683-84» Comrade Enver also raises the issue that the trade union Similarly with Iran, the Report calls for strengthen- 39 ing ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran and vigorously lamism or give a proper assessment of it. defends the Islamic movement without any mention of [The Islamic forces in Iran that are referred to above as the internal class situation and the reign of terror then part of the progressive movement are not the forces of the Khomeini dictatorship and the lRP, but the People's Mo­ against the people by the IRP7Khomeini government. (pp. 221, 269-70) [The situation in Iran was described in jahedeen Organization ofIran, which is part ofthe popular re­ The Workers' Advocate ofAugust 25, 1981, which carried the sistance to the IRP regime. The PMOl has had ihe difficulty of articles "Condemn the Khomeini-IRP Coup d'EtatJ Support being drawn towards the bourgeois liberals, as described in the Iranian People's Revolution!" and "From the Iranian the article "On the National Council ofResistance ofIran / The People's Insurrection Which Overthrew the Shah to the IRP Dangers ofAdaptation to the Liberals" in The Workers' Ad­ Coup. "-WA] vocate ofJuly I, 1983. Besides the Islamic forces listed in the bulletin, there are The question of the Islamic movement deserves at­ the Shiite Muslims in Lebanon who have recently been radi­ tention in and of itself. Although it is clear that, with calized as a result ofthe Israeli invasion. Meanwhile the main respect to this question, the Report has Iran in mind, in forces of the Druse community in Lebanon have long been fact the Report refers to an Islamic anti-imperialist part of the Lebanese left. However, the main organization of mov~ment in the Moslem countries in general. It talks the Druse community, which is led by the reformist Walid of "insurgent movements in the Moslem countries" Jumblatt, and other political organizations among the Druse, and that "the broad masses of the Moslem peoples in are secular, not religious. - W A] the different countries have risen and are rising in There is one final point about the chapter of the Re­ struggle .... " (p. 269) Although it inserts that this is port on the international situation. Along with its other "not over the question of religion, but for national and weaknesses, the discussion in the chapter tends to be social liberation," nevertheless it is referring to "the somewhat less spirited overall than, say, the discussion people's uprisings of 'Islamic inspiration,' as the bour­ in the Report to the 7th Congress. One example of this geoisie and revisionists like to describe these move­ is that in the Report to the 8th Congress, the word ments with the aim of denying their anti-imperialist and "socialism" is often replaced, in discussion of the revolutionary character .... " Thus the Report is clearly international situation, by "social progress," "social referring to the Islamic movements and not just to any liberation," and similar terms which, although not people's movements in the Moslem countries. wrong, taken as a whole tend to downplay the prole­ The Report praises these Islamic movements strong­ tarian emphasis. Consider for example, the presenta­ ly and portrays an Islamic anti-imperialist movement as tion ofthe division of the world into two camps. The 7th taking on wide proportions "in the regions inhabited by Congress speaks of: "the ruthless struggle between the the Moslem peoples." This description seems to be bourgeois-imperialist world, on the one hand, and 80- quite wide of the mark. In the vast regions where the ciallsm, the world proletariat, and Its natural allies, on Moslem religion is practiced, it is hard to find many the other. h (p. 173, emphasis added) The Report to the places where an Islamic-type movement plays any 8th Congress, however describes: "Major political and major role as part of the progressive upsurge. Indeed, social forces confront one another: on the one side, apart from Iran, Mindanao in the Philippines, and pos­ imperialism, capitalism and reaction, the bearers of op­ sibly Afghanistan, the Islamic political forces are usual­ pression, exploitation and war, and on the other side, ly straight-up [bourgeois forces, whether mildly liberal.}' the peoples, the revolutionaries and the democrats, backward or even reactionary forces, such as the Mos: who are struggling for national and social liberation and lem Brotherhood. The Report does not describe the the emancipation of mankind." (p. 162, emphasis tasks of the Marxist-Leninists with respect to pan-Is- added)

Weaknesses in the Chapter Entitled 'The Struggle Against Revisionism. The Revolutionary and Liberation Movement at the Present Stage.' We shall now proceed to discuss the weaknesses in It should be noted that, in discussing the Report in the final chapter of the Report, the chapter that deals this manner, we are holding it to a very strict standard. directly with the questions involving the international Such a standard means to ask, not just whether it is an Marxist-Leninist movement. This chapter, just as the honorable document for a Marxist-Leninist party, a others, upholds the Marxist-Leninist stand of the PLA. document that shows that the PLA will continue on the For example, it vigorously denounces the various cur­ revolutionary road, but whether it answers the vexed rents of revisionism. But this chapter has important questions in the international movement. This is a f,r omissions concerning several vital questions of the higher standard than what one normally holds a party present-day movement. As well, its formulations on congress to. certain of the vexed questions of the present-day inter­ Why is it necessary to examine the Report in this national Marxist-Leninist movement are weak. light? This is necessary because, for a number of 40 reasons, such as the historic role played by the 7th Con­ what the PLA has already stated previously at the 7th gress ofthe PLA or the PLA's brilliant achievements in Congress or at the Scientific Sessions of October 1978. the struggle against Mao Zedong Thought, it is natural The Report is silent on how the front of international that Marxist-Leninists will look to see if this Report will cooperation has developed since the 7th Congress or on serve as a new international call. the problems that have arisen - for it seems that there This examination shows that the Report cannot and has been a falling off the last few years in, at least, will not play such a role as the Report to the 7th Con­ certain ofthe more visible forms of cooperation - or on gress or Imperialism and the Revolution did. But, this suggestions for the future. The Report merely reiter­ being clear, it is then incumbent on our Party to evalu­ ates the PLA's support for international cooperation, ate the Report in a different light. Evaluating the 8th stating that the PLA "has always tried and will con­ Congress according to the same standards thatthe con­ tinue to try to make its own contribution to strengthen- . gress of any Marxist-Leninist party would be judged, ing the unity of the Marxist-Leninist movement and the then it is clear that this congress stands out as repre­ collaboration between the sister parties." sentative of militant socialism in struggle with world As well, other important issues are not dealt with. imperialism, capitalism, and reaction. For example, there is no discussion in the Report of But let us proceed with examining the final chapter of the increased activation of social-democracy on an in­ the Report. To begin with, we shall deal with a number ternational scale. The Report does denounce the of the omissions in this chapter. social-democrats in passing in various passages First of all, the Report does not contain any analysis throughout the text. This is important as it reiterates concerning the problems being caused in various coun­ the Marxist-Leninist stand of opposition to social­ tries by the rightist currents putting pressure on the democracy. But the only statement on the overall Marxist-Leninist parties. The Report refers briefly to situation concerning social-democracy is that: " ... the fact that; despite the major defeats Maoism has social-democracy ...ls now compromised and dis­ suffered in the last few years, problems have come up credited in the eyes ofthe masses as an open servant of inside various countries. It states: "Now that this cur­ the bO).lrgeoisie .... " (p. 257, in the midst of the dis­ rent [Maoism - ed.] has been exposed, the enemies cussion of the aims of the "Eurocommunists") The are trying to sow confusion by spreading all kinds of Report, however, fails to mention the reactivation of pseudo-Marxist theories, to split and weaken the par­ social-democracy by the bourgeoisie. Just a few of the ties through factional struggle, to manipulate weak and recent developments concerning social-democracy in­ ill-formed elements in various ways and impel them to clude: the election of the social-democratic Mitterrand revisionist positions." (p. 273) government itl. France, the election of the social-demo­ This passage corroborates our observation that cer­ cratic Papandreou government in Greece, the position tain problems have come up in the last period in vari­ of the two social-democratic parties in Britain (the ous countries, that these problems are in fact an inter­ Labor Party and the recently formed Social-Democratic national phenomenon. But what strikes the eye is that Party) as the likely beneficiaries of the mass disgust the Report contains no analysis whatsoever of what with Thatcher, the reactivation of the Socialist Inter­ these problems are or how to fight them. For example, national since 1976, the attempts ofsocial-democracy to it does not contain any characterization of the political step up its efforts in Latin America (including paying or ideological content ofthe "pseudo-Marxist theories" special attention to the liberation struggles in Central or ofthe stand ofthe "weak and ill-formed elements." America), and so forth. The Report is silent on this vital question of the pres­ Also, the Report does not deal directly with the at­ ent-day international Marxist-Leninist movement. tempt of Soviet revisionism to benefit from the fiasc() The Report also says little on the subject of inter­ of Maoism or with the current of reconciliation with the national cooperation among the Marxist-Leninist par­ Soviet revisionists. The Report does, however, de­ ties. The main passage simply states that: "The meet­ nounce Soviet revisionism in detail, explicitly re­ ings and discussions between sister parties make a iterating the denunciation of the capitalist economy of valuable contribution to strengthening the unity of the the Soviet Union and of the imperialism of the Soviet Marxist-Leninist movement. In this way they benefit revisionists and making various other important points. from one another's experience, arrive at common It is important that the Report contains such material, assessments of situations and unity of thought and and spells out its stand towards the Soviet revisionists, action. The experience of one party cannot replace the at the present time when reconciliation with the "so­ experience of many parties. On the contrary, it is the cialism" of the Soviet social-imperialists is one of the experience of all the Marxist-Leninist parties which themes of the opportunist renegacy. As well, such \, makes the movement invincible." (p. 274) material is an implicit call for struggle against the Sovi- There is nothing wrong with this passage in itself, et revisionists. But the Report does not go on to ex­ but this is all that is said. The Report says less than plicitly discuss the tasks of the international movement 41 with respect to Soviet revisionism. For example, it does salt crystals in water. It was played a6 a trump not repeat the stirring call from the 7th Congress to card, but was very quickly overtrumped. Our Party carry the polemic against modern revisionism through exposed and attacked this reaetionary, counter­ to the end. revolutionary theory." (p. 192, in the chapter on In general, the Report contains little summation of the international situation) the recent development of the international Marxist­ This is another strange passage. Such descriptions as Leninist movement, other than a certain description of "it melted away like salt crystals in water" jar on one. the course of the PLA's struggle against Chinese revi­ This is also one of the most obscure passages in the sionism. Even so, among those passages on this sub­ Report; it is difficult to see what it is actually saying ject that the Report does contain, there are some about the history and significance of the struggle strange formulations. against the' 'three worlds" theory. For example, the Report states: "Earlier, when Mao It should be noted, however, that the Report does Zedong Thought was exerting its influence in many give a strong appeal to carryon the struggle against parties, the imperialists and social-imperi~lists were Mao Zedong Thought, in the form of saying that the more at ease, because they knew that this revisionist PLA will do so. (pp. 254-55) This is a ttmely and neces­ current was doing its work of undermining the Marxist­ sary stand. For example, not just in the U.S., but in Leninist movement." (pp. 272-73) While this passage Latin America, India, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and may reflect the situation in certain countries at certain elsewhere, there is still much to be done against Mao­ periods, it is a strange formulation to give on an overall, ism. Maoism is still a major factor disrupting the revo­ world scale. The imperialists are, in general, more lutionary movement. Our Party wholeheartedly sup­ worried about the movement in periods of its upsurge ports the stand of carrying the struggle against Maoism and more at ease in periods of its temporary lull or of through to the end. disorganization. The repudiation of Mao Zedong There is also weaknesses in the discussion of other of Thought, as absolutely essential as it is and despite the the vexed questions of the international Marxist­ great impetus it gives to the revolutionary Marxist­ Leninist movement. For example, the formulations on Leninists, does not in itself create a general revolution­ the trade union question (pp. 264-65) appear to be a ary upsurge; it does, however, help a party learn how to departure from the formulations in other works of organize itself and the masses and prepare for and Comrade Enver's, such as Imperialism and the Revolu­ utilize the general revolutionary upsurge. The present tion (see especially p. 63, col. 2-p. 64, col. 2, PI edition) situation ofthe revolutionary movement and the Marx­ and Eurocommunism Is Anti-Communism (p. 75, col. ist-Leninist parties varies from country to country. But 1-2, PI edition), or those in the Scientific Sessions of it cannot really be said that, on a world scale, the impe­ October 1978. The earlier formulations [although con­ rialists and social-imperialists were more at ease ten or taining certain points that seemed vague or awkward, did] fifteen years ago, during the period when upsurges give first place to setting up revolutionary or genuine occurred in one country after another, than they are proletarian trade union organization both inside and today - even though Maoism played a major role in outside the existing trade unions and, while stressing sabotaging these upsurges. the need to work in the existing trade union, orient that The treatment of the struggle against the "three work to this end. For example, Comrade Agim Popa worlds" theory is also weak. The 7th Congress opened stated at the Scientific Sessions that: "In the course of the period of the worldwide condemnation of this the struggle, in the heat of revolutionary practice, the counter-revolutionary and anti-Marxist-Leninist theory. best and most appropriate forms of independent organ­ This struggle played a major role in the international ization ofthe working class, under the leadership of the Marxist-Leninist movement, nor is it over and done Marxist-Leninist party, within and outside the existing with. The Report takes place at the first congress fol­ trade unions and other organizations, are discovered, lowing the world condemnation of "three worldism." such as, for example, the Class Trade Union Trend, the Yet the Report is relatively silent on the question. Revolutionary Trade Union Opposition, the Assembly The Report mentions that the foundations of the Movement, the Committees of Struggle and the Fac­ "three worlds" theory is Mao Zedong Thought in a, tory Councils of Workers' Representatives, the Peas­ passsage on pages 250-51. The "three worlds" theory ant Committees and Unions in the Struggle for Land, is also mentioned in passing on page 261. But the main and so on." (Problems of the Current World Develop­ passage on the "three worlds" theory is the following ment, Tirana, 1979, p. 95) one: Perhaps the discussion in the Report of the trade "At one time, the Chinese theory of 'three unions is only intended as a summary of the previous worlds' also emerged as a theory in defense of formulations. But it appears to be different. It seems to neo-colonialism and especially of the American give first place to changing the existing trade unions domination of the world. But it melted away like and having them "break free" from the domination of 42 • the bourgeoisie and the opportunists. The discussion This brings us to the end of our examination of the lacks elaboration or clarity and is at best ambiguous Report. It shows that the Report does not answer and weak. For example, it does not clarify whether various of the vexed questions of the present-day inter­ breaking the trade unions free from the domination of national Marxist-Leninist movement. At the same time, the bourgeoisie and the opportunists refers to winning the Report sets forth the stable Marxist-Leninist stands the masses or to taking over the whole apparatus as of the PLA, the stands for the further construction of well. Yet the Report appears to take the case that the socialism, for defiance of the imperialist-revisionist en­ union can be broken free as the main and predominant circlement, for uncompromising opposition to all the case. (It should be noted that the character of the trade revisionist currents, and so forth. Our enthusiastic unions in the bourgeois-revisionist world can differ in support for Albania in the press and our public promo­ the various countries and among different sections of tion of the positive qualities of the Report are not the trade unions in an individual country. There are maneuvers. Our solidarity with socialist Albania is the some countries, such as the Dominican Republic, where firm and steadfast support rendered by one fighting the existing trade unions, or major sections ofthem, are contingent of the international proletarian army to quite different from the tightly controlled trade unions another; it is support for the immense significance that such as those in the U.S., West Germany and many the existence of socialism has for the world; it is sup­ other countries or Russia and the East European revi­ port for the Marxist-Leninist and revolutionary stands sionist countries. This affects tactics. But the predom­ ofthe PLA. inate type of capitalist-revisionist union on the world Revolution is not made by hit-or-miss methods. Our scale, as far as the number of workers in them, are un­ Party has studied deeply the documents and views of doubtedly the tightly controlled ones.) Furthermore, the PLA and learned much from their profound content. the Report does not seem to discuss the role of inde­ Such a stand can only be taken by those who have their pendent proletarian organization inside the existing own revolutionary stand in the world. This is why there trade unions, since presumably its reference to revolu­ is no contradiction between our iron support for Albania tionary trade unions refers to unions outside the reac­ and our mature evaluation of the Report. Such a stand tionary unions. has no connection with applauding what is wrong or Thus the Report does not bring light to the question hypocritically fawning over everything for the sake of ofthe trade union work ofthe Marxist-Leninist parties. some favors or some temporary advantages. It is a Other weak formulations on vexed questions can be stand that requires mature assessment of strengths and seen in the weaknesses in the discussion of the interna­ weaknesses, for unlike the flatterers we intend to im­ tional situation that we have pointed to earlier in this plement and sacrifice in favor of what we accept as the bulletin. For example, the weaknesses on the question revolutionary stand. Bonds based on this stand are the of the lesser imperialist powers and the national ques­ strongest bonds that exist, bonds that are implemented tion have been discussed. These weaknesses do not in revolutionary practice. This, and only this, is the negate the stand of the PLA against all imperialism. stand of proletarian internationalism, the stand of They do, however, result in the Report being ineffec­ common devotion to the cause of revolutionary Marx­ tual in dealing with the vexed questions being raised by ism-Leninism. 0 the rightist currents on this question.

43 Reference Material from the Albanian Press Below we reprint a sampling of been mainly taken from pulletins of authoritative statements from the recent articles from the Albanian the Albanian Telegraphic Agency, leadership of the PLA and the press which demonstrate the pro- the official Albanian news service. PSRA. The views expressed in the found weaknesses in the stand of We have also used some items from items we have selected are accurate the Party of Labor of Albania on a Albania Today, the political and in­ reflections of the stands of the Alba­ series of major international events formative review published in Tira­ nian leadership on these questions. and issues. The items below have na. Both these publications reprint

IRAN During the Iranian people's revo­ Khomeini regime was never synon­ er even condemned the murder of lutionary upsurge which overthrew ymous with the revolution. It began militants of its fraternal party or of the Shah in 1978-79, the PLA's as a government balancing between other revolutionaries by the Kho­ stand and analysis caused much ex­ the revolutionary forces of the toil­ meini regime. citement among revolutionary and ers and the counter-revolution. But The Albanian press is full of ar- . progressive forces. At that time the it has long ceased to play such a ticles in praise of the Iranian gov­ PLA stressed the role of the working' role. It is today a straightforward ernment and it publishes many class in the Iranian revolution, gave government of hangmen of the rev­ items on the frequent exchanges of support to the Iranian Marxist-Len­ olution, and it has imposed a sav­ all sorts of delegations between Iran inists, and pointed to a number of age, medieval tyranny over Iran. and Albania. We reproduce below lessons important to carry forward But the PLA continues to support it. a recent example of the praise for the revolution. It has abandoned all solidarity with the Khomeini regime in Zeri i But from several months after the the struggle of the workers and Popullit, organ of the Central Com­ overthrow of the Shah, the PLA put peasants. Moreover, far from sup­ mittee of the PLA, as reprinted in itself squarely behind the regime of porting the struggle of the Iranian Albanian Telegraphic Agency News Khomeini and the IRP mullahs. The Marxist-Leninists, the PLA has nev- Bulletin.

On the Land of Iran At the invitation of the Iranian Radio land, the known people of this country during these last five years; it is the and TV, a delegation of the Albanian that have given to history, science and land which has nourished in them the Radio and TV paid a visit to the Islamic literature distinguished figures. While feeling of love for the homeland, for its Republic of Iran recently. The news­ travelling, we recall that great heroic borders, and for this .they are rightfully paper Zeri i PopuUit carries on March 4 war of the Iranian people for decades on proud. an article entitled "On the Land of end against the savage oppression of Our host is the Iranian Radio and TV. Iran" (travel notes), written by Marash the American patrons and their blood­ At the airport were the General Director Hajati, General Director of the Albanian thirsty devoted servant, the Shah. ·This of this institution, its vice-directors, Radio and TV, leader of the d~legation, war, which had accumulated the suf­ representatives of the Ministry of on the impressions on the stay in Iran. ferings, grief, and contempt of the Foreign Affairs, of the Ministry of the The article says among other things: years, was crowned with the triumph of Islamic Leadership, etc. We are traveling towards Tehran the Iranian revolution, which echoed Only a few minutes passed and we capital of the Islamic Republic of Iran, all over the world. This great victory felt ourselves at home as if among close and in a moment we recall that ancient has inspired the people of this land friends. 44 • In Iran. The people are frank and with been set up. support of the oppressed peoples who a well-wishing spirit. Above all, they All these achievements in the Iran­ are in struggle for freedom and inde­ wanted to acquaint us with the viCtories ian villages are not realized in a day or pendence. scored during these five years after the by order, but through an intensive and Everywhere we went, and from Iranian revolution. We have begun tiring work. In the organization of the everyone we met, we heard warm words everything, they say, from the struggle . work in the village, we were told that for the support of our people and gov­ against the American domination and jahads play an important role. These are ernment for the Iranian revolution. the Pahlavi puppets, because there is no groups of working people from the city The Islamic Republic of Iran is now other language to be used with the oc­ who spread education and culture, help resolutely opposing U.S. imperialism cupiers and the traitors, with the in the plowing of the land, the con­ and Soviet social-imperialism. Organ­ bloodthirsty people. struction of houses, improvement of the izing the country, relying on its own After speaking of the luxurious life living conditions, etc., in the remote forces, sharpening the vigilance, Iran the royal family made, of the oppressive zones. has launched the slogan "We don't and exploiting policy of the Shah, who In the economic sector, attention will mind America, we don't mind the Soviet sucked the blood and sweat and toil of be devoted to meeting the needs of the Union." This slogan, written in big the Iranian people, the article stresses: people. letters, is noticed not only on the walls, In pre-revolut\on Iran, between the city Of interest in the country's policy are in the streets, offices and parks, but it and village, between the rich and the also some measures on the normaliza­ has entered into every cell of the Iranian poor, a wide 'gap existed. Only 4,000 vil­ tion and defining of minimum and maxi­ life, because they know that the super­ lages, out of 65,000 were electrified, mum limits of wages of the working powers are perfidious and can hatch up and only two had telephone lines in­ people. plots at any moment. In their policy of stalled; for every 30,000 inhabitants in During our stay in Iran, we also splits and revenge, the imperialists of the village there was one doctor and one visited some cultural and artistic all hues leave no stone unturned. Such bed in the hospital. There was nothing centers. is also the struggle imposed by the to speak of here of schools, streets, the· Persepolis and other historical superpowers between Iraq and Iran. standard of living, etc. centers, the monuments of art and cul­ I would like to close these notes with The struggle changed this page of ture, are continuously restored and pre­ the simple saying of the Iranians: history. During these five years of inde­ served as vivid testimony to the ancient it seems to us that now the superpowers pendence, the number of schools has culture, efforts made by the Iranian do not cry for Iran any longer, because doubled, the electrified villages reached people for freedom and independence. it slipped out of their hands, but they the figure of 12~000, telephone lines are are crying about the fact that every­ installed in 2,000 villages. Motor roads • • where the oppressed peoples of the have been opened in many zones. Medi­ During its stay, our delegation world are awakening and they do not cal centers with doctor and nurses have noticed the respect and love of the Iran­ accept any longer their dictate and re­ been set up for groups of villages. Now ians for our people, for Albania. They pression. there is a doctor for every 800 inhabit­ evaluate our principled policy of non­ (Reprinted from Albanian Telegraphic ants in the villages. For the old people submission, of the open war against the Agency News Bulletin, March 4-6, over 60, in the villages, pensions have two superpowers, of friendship and 1984.) 0

TURKEY The Turkish government is a aries of that country. The PLA is and Albanian governments, he said ruthless fascist military dictator­ silent on the fascist jackboot which just over a year ago: "We make ship. It has made the ground run the Turkish people suffer under. It 'diplomatic love' with nobody. This red with the blood of countless pro­ has no solidarity- at all with the is not the custom of the Albanian gressive people. It has locked up in Turkish Marxist-Leninists who have but, when we pledge our word, we brutal dungeons tens of thousands historically had the greatest respect keep it and do not tum whichever of Marxist-Leninists, other revolu­ for the PLA and fraternal ties with way the wind blows." (Address to tionaries, workers, peasants and them. For example, in 1980-81, the the Electors, November 10, 1982, youth. The Turkish government is PLA was notable in its silence on Tirana, p. 26) also a major base for U.S. imperial­ the worldwide protest campaign to With regards to the close rela­ ism in the region and receives con­ stay the execution of the Turkish tions with Turkey, it should be tinuous hugs and kisses from Wash­ Marxist-Leninist youth Erdal Eren. noted that this does not reflect a ington. Lest anyone think that the PLA's recent shift in Albanian policy. The But the PLA lavishes praise on position reflects mere diplomatic Albanian government has for quite this regime, exchanges numerous courtesies, it is important to re­ some time had very friendly rela­ cultural, sports and other delega­ member that Enver Hoxha himself tions with the Turkish governments. tions with the Turkish authorities, denies any such notion in the But things have gotten particular­ and has not a word to say in sympa­ ;strongest terms. Referring to the ly grotesque since the September thy with the toilers and revolution- close relations between the Turkish 1980 military coup which brought 45 into power the present brutal tyran­ lations go far beyond mere diplo­ are languishing under fascism. ny of the generals. The problem is macy. The issue is that Albania has We reprint below a recent article not that Albania has diplomatic re­ abandoned its internationalist du­ which shows the PLA's attitude lations with Turkey, but that its re- ties towards the Turkish toilers who towards Turkey.

Marked Day in the History of the Turkish People On October 29,1983, the Turkish peo­ new democratic Turk~y. Let all the homeland, have pursued a policy of ple celebrate a marked day in their cen­ pseudo-democrats and pseudo-social­ good neighborliness in the relations turies-long history, the day of the proc­ ists who oppress the peoples, who tram­ with all the states and peoples of the lamation of the Republic of Turkey, 60 ple on their rights and keep colonialism Balkans. years ago on October 29,1923. alive, sugar-coated with pompous In this anniversary of the Republic of The newspapers carry articles devot­ words, follow the example of Kemal Turkey, Zeri i Popullit writes in conclu­ ed to this important event for the Turk­ Ataturk who cut the 'Gordian knot' of sion, the Albanian people express to the ish people. The newspager Zeri i Popu/­ the Ottoman Empire with his sword. It friendly people of Turkey, their most lit stresses among others in its article is our desire that our friendship with the cordial greetings and the best wishes that this marked event and day of cele­ fraternal Turkish people should be con­ for their happiness and prosperity , bration of the Turkish people brings into tinuously strengthened and developed wishing at the same time that the rela­ memory that turbulent and delicate further in every field." tions of friendship between our two peo­ time in which Turkey found itself 60 Today, on the day of celebration for ples and countries deepen and strength­ years ago, when its sovereignty was ser­ the Turkish people, the article says fur­ en further. iously threatened, when the plan for the ther on, our people once again express (Reprinted from Albanian Telegraph­ partitioning ofthe Turkish state in favor the feelings of sincere friendship for the ic Agency News Bulletin, October 26- of the imperialist interests of the great friendly Turkish people and once again 29,1983.) 0 powers of that time was being carried express their readiness to cement and into life. The . proclamation of the Re­ deepen the good relations existing be­ public by tlte Grand National Assembly, tween the People's Socialist Republic of Along with Iran it is Turkey which at the initiative and under the direction Albania and the Republic of Turkey on gets the most frequent coverage in of the distinguished leader of the Turk­ the basis of the known principles that the bulletins of the ATA. To show ish people, Mustafa Kemal, an event govern the relations between sovereign how the Albanian press highlights which came after the victory in the bat­ states, in favor of our two peoples. The the close relations between Albania tlefield, was the fruit of the efforts and Albanian people see with pleasure the lofty aspirations of the Turkish peoples. fact that the relations between the two and Turkey, we reprint below a list Strengthening the unity of the people's countries develop correctly and have as­ of some items carried on this sub­ masses, through a series of important sumed a good development, thus mak­ ject in AT A bulletins of recent measures, Mustafa Kemal, inspired by ing a valuable contribution to the fur­ months: the democratic and progressive opin­ ther development of the mutual rela­ ions, liberated Turkey and its people tions and understanding of onr two peo­ - Message of greetings from Ramiz from the medieval yoke ofthe sultanate. ples. The benevolent stand of the Turk­ Alia, President of the Presidium of the Further on, after speaking of the im­ ish public opinion and the official circles People's Assembly ofthe PSR of Alban­ portant measures adopted by Mustafa towards our country, the warm recep­ ia to Kenan Evren, President of Turkey.­ Kemal Ataturk in the juridical, social tion extended to different artistic aRd October 26-29, 1983. and economic fields, such as the aboli­ sport groups and particularly the realis­ - Marked day in the history of the tion of the titles of the Caliph and Otto­ tic and positive opinions the Turkish Turkish people. October 26-29,1983. man princes, the closure of the religious press expresses for the Albanian reali­ - Reception at the embassy of the Re­ schools, the abolition of the Islamic ty, for the achievements of our people public of Turkey. October 26-29,1983. right, the recognition of the laic charac­ as well as for the leader of our party and - The Vice-Secretary of State for ter of the state, etc., Zeri i Popullit people, Comrade Enver Hoxha, also foreign affairs of Turkey leaves Albania. writes: for this, the figure of Mustafa show ofthe greater possibilities existing October 26-29, 1983. Kemal Ataturk and his deed is honored in regard to the deepening of the rela­ - The President of the Presidium of today not only in Turkey, but also by the tions between our two peoples and the People's Assembly Comrade Ramiz friends and well-wishers of the Turkish countries. Alia sends a message to the President of people everywhere. The leader of our The cementing of the relations be­ Turkey Kenan Evren (on an earthquake Party and people, Comrade Enver Hox­ tween the Albanian people and the in Turkey). October 30-November 1, ha, in his speech to the electors on No­ Turkish people constitutes a valuable 1983. vember 10, 1982, speaking of the ties of contribution to the strengthening of - The symphony orchestra of the friendship existing between the Alba­ peace and security in the Balkans, Radio-Television ended its tour of Tur­ nian people and the Turkish people has which the superpowers want to trans­ key successfully. November 6-8, 1983. said: "We honor and respect the great form once again into a powder keg and - Protocol on sport exchanges between leader of the Turkish people, Mustafa set the peoples against each other. For Albania and Turkey signed. December Kemal Ataturk, who as an outstanding this reason, the Albanian people and 7-10,1983. democrat, destroyed the Ottoman Em­ their government, fanatic in defense of - The Chairman of the Council of Min­ pire and the Caliphate and set up the the freedom and independence of their isters, Comrade Adil Carcani sends a 46 message of greetings to the Prime organized a reception for representa­ between Albania and Turkey signed. Minister of Turkey, Turgut Ozal. De­ tives in the field of culture and folklore. February 12-14,1984. cember 14-17,1983. January 1-3,1984. - Turkish delegation on air transport - Message of the Prime Minister of the - The Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs left Albania. February 15-18,1984. Republic of Turkey Turgut Ozal sent left for Turkey. February 1-4,1984. - A government trade delegation left to Comrade Adil Carcani. December 28- - The Foreign Minister of Turkey re­ for the Republic of Turkey. February 19- 31, 1983. ceived the Vice-Foreign Minister of Al­ 21, 1984. - Activities on Albania abroad: The bania. February 1-4,1984. ambassador of the PSRA in Turkey - The agreement on civil air transport

LEBANON For some time now, Lebanon has social forces in Lebanon. They have of the German and Italian fascists. been the scene of sharp struggles never expressed any support for the The regime of Gemayel was in fact between the Lebanese resistance struggle of the Lebanese left installed in power on the bayonets and its enemies, the Israeli zionist against the Phalangist government. of the 1982 Israeli invasion. The occupiers and the U.S.-backed reac­ In early February, in the midst of struggle against this regime is a just tionary government of the Phalang­ the upsurge of struggle against the struggle. This is a struggle against ist Amin Gemayel. In the early days Gemayel regime, the ATA issued a the so-called confessional system of of February, there was an upsurge statement which indicates why the discrimination against the Muslim in the popular struggle that caused PLA is silent on the struggle of the communities by the Maronite big much of the Lebanese army to dis­ Lebanese left. This statement refers bourgeoisie, a system which has integrate, brought the Gemayel re­ to the civil war in Lebanon over the been a bulwark of Lebanese reac­ gime to the brink of total collapse, last decade as a "fratricidal war." tion and imperialist oppression for and forced Reagan to remove the In other words, the PLA . does not many decades. This struggle is vital U.S. Marines from Beirut airport. see any progressive content to the for the democratization of Lebanon, The PLA has generally had little struggle of the left in the Lebanese for clearing the way for the unified to say about the situation in Leba­ civil war. They refuse to condemn class struggle of all the Lebanese non. When they have spoken, they the Phalangist militias and govern­ toilers, irrespective of which com­ have only condemned the Israeli oc­ ment. munity they come from. cupation and the intervention by the There is in fact a just and an un­ We print below the recent AT A two superpowers. But they have just side in the Lebanese civil war. statement on Lebanon. been silent on the internal struggle The Phalangists are fascists who between the different political and modeled themselves along the lines

Grave Situation in Lebanon as a Result of the Interference by the Superpowers The situation in Lebanon remains trol in the strategic region of the Middle pursued by the American imperialists very tense and explosive. Facts go to . East. The tours and shuttlings of the and the Soviet social-imperialists in the show that the Israeli occupiers are being American top officials in the Middle Middle East brought to the Lebanese settled for ever in southern Lebanon, East, and especially in Beirut and is­ people? The frequent aggressions while exercising violence and terror rael, serve the reactionary interests of launched by the Israeli zionists, who against the local population. The Amer­ the imperialist-zionist alliance, they aim have become more aggressive than ican warships uninterruptedly bombard at perpetuating the Israeli occupation of ever. The fratricidal wars, which have the Lebanese territory. Tens of innocent southern Lebanon, at preserving the swept all over Lebanon for 10 years on Lebanese meet their death every day control of the American imperialists in end, have caused the death of scores of from struggle, whereas Beirut, with its this important region rich in oil. On the thousands of innocent people. The ruins and delapidation, is difficult other hand, the diplomacy of the Soviet country is more split up than ever. No to be recognized at present. Over these social-imperialists is constantly con­ optimistic forecast can be made for the last days the number of the victims has ducting its activity. Their envoys, be near future, as long as the hegemonistic continued to increase. they Soviet ambassadors in the Middle and neo-colonialist interests of the two The situation in this country contin­ East countries or Moscow emissaries, imperialist superpowers, the USA and ues to be aggravated also as a result of directly keep in touch with the course of the Soviet Union continue to collide with the constant interference in the internal events in Lebanon, hold intensive meet­ each other in this region. affairs of Lebanon by the two imperialist ings and talks with the top officials and (Reprinted from Albanian Telegraphic superpowers, the USA 'and the S9viet leaders of the Lebanese political parties Agency News Bulletin, February 7-11. Union. They are fiercely contending and others. 1984.) 0 with each other for hegemony and con- What consequences has this policy

47 CENTRAL AMERICA Today Central America is one of offar smaller significance to the Ni­ the Nicaraguan struggle: the coun­ the major cauldrons of the world caraguan people today than the ter-revolutionary front including revolutionary struggle. But the Al­ 1979 revolution. The fact that the the contras and the domestic big­ banian press expresses only the Albanian leadership dredges up this bourgeoisie, the petty-bourgeois scantiest and most grudging sup­ old event shows their lack of excite­ Sandinista government, and the port for the revolutionary battles in ment about the recent revolutionary workers and poor. peasantry. The that region. Nowhere does the PLA developments in that country. This Sandinista government follows a draw out the militant lessons from also happens to be part of a general contradictory policy trying to bal­ these events or show how to pattern followed by the Albanian ance between the bourgeoisie and strengthen the struggles of the leadership towards various coun­ the toilers. Among the three forces workers and peasants. tries; they seek to draw attention to involved in the struggle in Nicara­ Take the issue ofthe PLA's stand various purely national struggles gua, if it can be said that the PLA towards Nicaragua. There are only that can be used to appeal to all supports anyone it is the govern­ minor references to the struggle of classes. ment. It does not give any support the Nicaraguan people. The item re­ As for the present situation, the to the toilers and their Marxist-Len­ printed below is the only major ar­ Albanian article decpicts the cur­ inist party, although in Nicaragua ticle on Nicaragua carried recently rent struggle as merely a struggle the Marxist-Leninists of MAP-ML in ATA. It was written on the occa­ against foreign aggression from have historically had relations with sion of the anniversary of Nicara­ U.S. imperialism and the contras. It the PLA. And it is precisely the gua's independence from Spain in does not address the fact that the Marxist-Leninist workers who are 1821. It is notable that the PLA did counter-revolutionary front extends striving to deepen the revolution to­ not write on the occasion of the an­ also to the domestic big bourgeoisie wards socialism. niversary of the revolution which which is engaged in a constant Here then is the article on Nica­ overthrew Somoza on July 19, 1979, struggle against the Sandinista gov­ ragua published last September in but chose to highlight the anniver­ ernment and the revolutionary ATA, which was taken from Bash­ sary of the country's independence masses. kim;, organ of the Democratic Front from Spain, an event from over a The PLA does not recognize that of Albania. century ago. This event is of course there are three forces involved in

Marked Event tor the People of Nicaragua Under the above title, the newspaper . came symbolic of the struggle for free­ The Albanian people have supported Bash1cimi carries an article which says dom of the Nicaraguan people. the liberation struggle of the people of among other things: After speaking about the nearly 40- Nicaragua, have hailed their great vic­ On September 15, the people of Nica­ year domination of the dictators of the tory in overthrowing the dictatorial pro­ ragua celebrate a marked event in their Somoza family, the newspaper writes: American regime of Somoza. They sup­ history. On September 15, 1821, after As a result of the many years struggle, port also the current struggle of the Nic­ three centuries of slavery and after pro­ the people overthrew the regime of So­ araguan people in defense of the free­ tracted struggles against the Spanish moza, one of the most hateful and reac­ dom, independence and territorial in­ colonizers, they won their independ­ tionary regimes ofthat basin. tegrity and denounce with indignation ence. Nevertheless, even after the inde­ The victory of the Nicaraguan people the aggression, plots and blackmail of pendence was won, the history of the in July 1979 paved the way to the inde­ American imperialism, this sworn en­ Nicaraguan people has traversed a diffi­ pendent development of the country. emy of the Latin American peoples and cult road. Other colonizers tried to take Many branches of the economy were na­ the peoples of the world, that in rivalry the place of the Spanish, thus adding, tionalized. Measures have been taken in with the other sworn enemy, Soviet so­ other links to the existing chains. At various fields to improve the standard of cial-imperialism, want to make the law the beginning, there were the British living. But the Nicaraguan people in the world. who kept under their control a part of should resist the non-stop plots and On this day of celebration, the Alba­ the territory of Nicaragua. Then the even aggression organized by U.S. im­ nian people wish the people of Nicara­ Americans followed, whose direct occu­ perialism. gua successes in the independent devel­ pation lasted from 1912-1933. The free­ Further on, the newspaper writes on opment of the country and the defense dom-loving people of Nicaragua did the blackmail and aggression of the of the freedom and independence, never accept the new yoke. It must be U.S. imperialists against Nicaragua. It smashing the plot and intrigues of the mentioned in particular the struggle of exposes the aid it renders to the rem­ imperialists. We wish that the friend­ the people of Nicaragua at the begin­ nants of the Somoza regime to launch ship between our peoples develop and ning of the 30's, led by the national he­ aggression against this country, to im­ strengthen further. ro, Augusto Cesar SandinQ, who was pose an economic and military blockade (Reprinted from Albanian Telegraphic killed fighting bravely for the liberation towards Nicaragua, etc. Agency News Bulletin, September 14- of the country ., The name of Sandino be- In conclusion the newspaper writes: 17,1983.) 0 48 In Central America today, be­ At the heart of the maneuvers of item below on the occasion of the sides the straightforward military the Contadora group is a great fear anniversary of Mexico's independ­ intervention of U.S. imperialism among these regimes of the revolu­ ence from Spain. This article there is also another face of the tionary flames which have engulfed praises the Mexican government for campaign to contain and crush the the region. All these regimes carry both its foreign and domestic poli­ revolution. This is the campaign of out repression against the toilers cies. It makes the preposterous the Contadora group, composed of and revolutionary movements in claim that the Mexican regime sup­ the governments of the big bour­ their countries; they are scared that ports the liberation struggles in geoisie of Mexico, Panama, Vene­ the extension of the Central Ameri­ Central America agaipst U.S. impe­ zuela and Colombia. These regimes can revolution will lead to revolu­ rialism and the dictatorial regimes. posture as being somewhat critical tionary upsurges against their own But far from there being anything of the U. S. military intervention and exploiting rule. progressive about the Mexican gov­ propose instead a "political solu­ As far as we know, the PLA has ernment's policies, the fact of the tion" for Central America. But this not given open support to the Con­ matter is that the Mexican bour­ "political solution" is meant to pre­ tadora group. But neither does the geoisie is responsible for terrible vent the victory of the revolution; it Albanian press denounce the efforts exploitation and oppression of the is meant to pressure the Central of the Contadora group to' stem the Mexican toilers as well as for seek­ American revolutionaries to reach revolution. What is more, the PLA ing to extend its exploiting tentacles an accommodation which will pre­ highly praises the role of the Mexi­ towards other peoples in the region. serve the interests of U.S. imperial­ can government in the Central However the Albanian press does ism and the local bourgeois reac­ American region and it is in fact the not carry any support for the strug­ tion. Indeed, U.S. imperialism itself Mexican government which is the gle of the workers and peasants of looks with much favor upon the prime mover of the Contadora cam­ Mexico against the Mexican ex­ Contadora group's activities, as paign. ploiters. shown once again by the bipartisan The PLA's lavish praise for the Kissinger commission. Mexican regime is contained in the Marked Day In the History of the Mexican People Under the above title the newspaper ments, for their democratic and pro­ their hands all the Ifatural assets and Bashkimi carries an article which says gressive spirit. resources of the country, to ensure the among other things: The opposition on the part of Mexico economic independence and the inde· On September 16, the Mexican peo­ of the policy pursued by the two super­ pendent development of the country . ple celebrate a marked event in their powers, its support for the liberation The Mexican people too nourish pure history. One hundred seventy-three struggles of the peoples of the nearby feelings of friendship and respect for years ago, on September 16, 1810, the regions against the dictatorial regimes the correct and principled ~tand of people of Mexico under the leadership and against American imperialism, the socialist Albania and have hailed the of Hidalgo and Morelos rose in a great refusal by Mexico to participate in the successes they have achieved in all the uprising against the Spanish colonizers. military blocs arouse the anger of the fields. Numerous activities that are con­ This marked the climax of the great pa­ United States, which has never stopped ducted in various cultural institutions of triotic armed movement which in 1821 the pressures against it. Mexico on our country, the different ex· led to the proclamation of the independ­ The Albanian people, Bashkimi hibitions displayed time and again with ence of Mexico. writes, have always cherished sincere aspects from the National Liberation The proclamation of independence of feelings of friendship and respect for War of our people, with aspects reflect· Mexico in 1821 from the foreign colonial the Mexican people. ing the successes of the socialist con· yoke, which was achieved through much The establishment of the diplomatic struction in Albania, with the materials blood and sacrifices, was also the first relations between Albania and Mexico of the Party and works by comrade step towards the founding of an inde­ in October 1974 was an important event Enver Hoxha, are followed and visited pendent Mexico. But the predatory that opened the way to the development , with interest by many friends and well· aims of the USA-, which resorted to ev­ of the relations between the two coun· wishers of our country. They are evi· ery means to replace the expelled colo­ tries for the strengthening of the friend­ dence of the sympathy of the Mexican nizers, came to the fore very soon. In ly ties established between the Albani· people for the Albanian people. 1845, the United States robbed Mexico an and the Mexican peoples, for the fur­ On this marked day of celebration, of Texas etc., and during 1846-1848 ther development of the cooperation in Bashkimi writes in conclusion, our peo­ they started the predatory war. In spite all those fields of mutual interest. Our ple extend sincere wishes to the Mexi­ ofthe heroic war waged by the Mexican people support the just struggle of the can people for successes on their road people, the American occupiers an­ Mexican people in defense of the na­ for the independent development and nexed from Mexico a territory of nearly tional interests, the measures for the preservation and consolidation of the two million square kilometers. progress and development of the coun­ independence of the country. They also The Mexican people have always try in various fields, for the preservation wish that the friendly relations between been distinguished for their powerful and consolidation of the independence our two peoples and countries develop patriotic and freedom-loving senti- and national sovereignty, to possess in continuously to the mutual benefit. 49 (Reprinted from Albanian Te\egraphic lAgency News Bulletin, September 14- 17,1983.) o

ARGENTINA AND THE MALVINAS WAR The tendency in the PLA's inter­ to oppose both sides in the war and tinues and the reactionary appartus national policy to abandon the carry on the struggle against both of the generals has been left intact. standpoint of the revolutionary the Argentine fascists and the Brit­ The socialist revolution is still on struggle of the Latin American ish imperialists. the agenda in Argentina. working masses was sharply mani­ Indeed, the history of the war and The PLA came out solidly behind fested in their stand on the Falk­ events afterwards proved that, the military adventure of the Ar­ lands/Malvinas war in the summer while the victory of the British gov­ gentine generals. It took the stand of 1982. This was a reactionary war ernment was a misfortune for the that the only issue that mattered on both sides. On one side the Brit­ British workers, the defeat of the was who owned these tiny islands. ish imperialists fought to defend Argentine generals in the war This was a bourgeois nationalist their colonial empire. On the other helped to bring about a resurgence . approach that did not at all consider side, the Argentine fascist generals in the popular struggle against the the issue from the standpoint of the sought to carry out a nationalist dictatorship. This struggle was not struggle of the Argentine workers. military adventure to divert the strong enough, however, to lead to In fact, while the PLA supported Argentine workers from the strug­ a revolutionary overthrow of the the adventure of the Argentine gen­ gle against the fascist dictatorship. military regime. Instead the mil­ erals it never voiced one word of The Argentine dictatorship was tary struck a deal with the liberal protest against the atrocities of this in deep crisis and confronted by a bourgeois opposition and allowed a regime, such as the "disappear­ mounting storm of mass struggle; in liberal bourgeois government of the ances" of over 30,000 people seized this situation the generals decided Radical Party to be elected at the by the military since the 1976 coup to launch their military adventure in end of 1983. Since these elections by the generals. an effort to rally the people under there has been an easing ofthe mili­ Below we print an article reprint­ the banner of nationalism and thus tary repression and hence the work­ ed by AT A from Zeri i Popullit on undercut the anti-fascist struggle. ers have somewhat more room to the Malvinas war from the summer The only correct proletarian revolu­ organize, but the exploitation and of 1982. tionary stand in this situation was impoverishment of the workers con-

Blockade Against Argentina - Another Act of Imperialist Violence Under the above title, the newspaper only for one week. But the Argentinian once more corroborates that to defend Zeri i Popullit carries an article which resistance exposed these tactics and its predatory interests at any time and reads: tore off these masks of theirs. It com· in any situation, imperialism does its ut­ A few days ago, following the exam­ pelled the imperialist powers to come most to stamp out the peoples, to ple of the United States, the Common out in the broad field and reveal that plunge them in misery and hunger, to Market member countries decided to they are lined up with the aggre~sors subjugate them. prolong for an indefinite period of time against the people of Argentina, that On the basis of what right and law do their embargo and economic blockade they are for the colonial slavery of the the United States and Western Europe on Argentina. They gave up their "res­ peoples and against their liberation. It violate the agreements they have struck ervations" and joined completely the is only Ireland and Italy, the latter with Argentina and decide to boycott struggle of colonialist and imperialist being forced to take into consideration and strangle it economically? What did Britain to bring Argentina to its knees the pressure by some millions of its it do to America, France, Germany, the and to reoccupy the Malvinas Islands. emigrants in Argentina, that did not Netherlands and others, where did it The Western European countries strove apply sanctions. attack them, what damage did it cause a great deal so as not to go so far as to This is not the first time that the big to them? No right and no inter:national be compelled to adopt an open political powers and the members of imperialist law allows and justifies the act perpe­ and official stand in Britain's favor. blocks have solidarized themselves and trated by these states. But neither inter­ They did their utmost to preserve some­ united with their partners in common national laws nor humanitarian reasons what the facade of "regret" for this aggressions and blockades. In the past, exist for the imperialist-capitalist "undesirable" conflict and maneu­ there were the war in Korea, the U.S. powers. For them there exist their vered by all manner of means not to put aggression in Viet Nam, the Suez con­ ideology and policy according to which, their cards on the table. Indeed, at the flict and many other cases, in which when they do not succeed in subduing initial stage, thinking that Argentina there were fully expressed the imperial­ the peoples through the force of arms, would yield in the face of the British ist solidarity and mutual aid to suppress they resort to political and economic military threat and the all-sided U.S . and enslave the peoples. What is new in blockade, diversionist activity, diplo­ pressure, they limited their embargo the case of Argentina is that practice matic pressure and discriminating 50 • • propaganda campaigns, which they pressure and military threat by the im­ defeat and are exposed as suffocators of apply shamelessly and in the most perialists toward the small countries the freedom and the rights of the peo­ savage way. Viewed from this angle, and the peoples who refuse to submit to ples are also the United States of Ameri­ the blockade against Argentina is the them is a daily fact of life in the world ca and all those who support Britain in result of this strategy and this practice. today; something which is touched, this aggression. Through their political and economic seen and sensed by all. The political and The British attack against Argentina blockade, the United States of America, economic blockades by the imperialist cannot fail to bring to their senses many Britain and their partners in the Euro­ powers are total and partial, strong and peoples and political personalities in the pean Market have as their target not mild, according to the occasion and ac­ world who have cherished the hope that only Argentina, but the whole Latin cording to each individual country, but they could rely on America, the Soviet American continent. The blockade is not they exist and operate unceasingly; they Union and others to defend the interests only a warning and a threat to the coun­ keep developing and improving. The of their countries. The great powers tries of South America so that they statements on the alleged aid to the un­ have protected and will always protect should not impair and affect the inter­ developed countries, North-South dia­ their own interests and they treat small ests of the big powers, but it is also a logue, etc., are mere propaganda and countries only as objects of spheres of direct pressure and blackmail on them deceitful traps to foster their domina­ influence and they can even sell or ex­ to give up their solidarity with Argen­ tion on them. change them according to the conjunc­ tina and not support it while opposing Now Argentina fights for self-defense tures created among the great powers the British aggression. The imperialist not only against Britain, but against the or abandon them to their own destinies powers resort to this weapon to intimi­ whole united imperialist front which when they do not like to run counter to date the Latin American peoples and to seeks to subdue and bring it to its knees the great partners. The case of Argen­ compel them to make concessions to the through the force of weapons and block­ tina testifies again to this imperialist detriment of their national sovereignty ades. The ratio of forces is unequal, but practice . and state dignity, to abandon their lofty • Argentina withstands and enjoys the A correct policy is the one which interests and to submit to neo-colonial­ support of the peoples of Latin America bases the freedom and independence of ist domination. and other countries who oppose imperi­ the country, the economic development When we Albanians speak of the eco­ alism and fight against old and new and the defense of the homeland on the nomic blockade imposed on our country colonialism. No matter how the military strength of the people, which nurtures by the imperialists and revisionists, battle on the Malvinas Islands will end, no illusion towards the great imperial­ they say that this is allegedly imagi­ the one which will suffer defeat will be ist-capitalist powers, but fights and ex­ nary, invented, etc. But is it perhaps Britain and not Argentina. By now Brit­ poses their exploiting and enslaving "imaginary" what is now officially ain has suffered a great political defeat plans resolutely and forcefully . occurring with Argentina? The imperi­ in the eyes of all the peoples of the (Reprinted from an article from Zeri i alists consider even our preparations for world. It once more revealed itself as an Popullit, the Central Organ of the Cen­ the safeguard of the homeland as some­ imperialist power which fights with all tal Committee of the Party of Labor of thing not necessary and incomprehen­ the forces left to preserve the rotten Albania, as carried on May 30, 1982 by sible. But history reveals the opposite colonialist system and to attack the peo­ the Albanian Telegraphic Agency News and we bear its lessons well in mind. ples who rise against this system. To­ Bulletin.) D The economic blockade, political gether with Britain, those who suffer

THE DEPENDENT COUNTRIES The above examples show that "three worldism.' , gimes. there is a problem in the general Today the PLA is willing to de­ As a result of this approach, the approach that the PLA takes to­ nounce the oppression of the de­ Albanian press has begun to depict wards the dependent and oppressed pendent countries by the superpow­ not only the reformist bourgeois­ countries. In the latter half of the ers but by and large it negates the nationalist regimes but even the 1970's, the PLA denounced the internal class contradictions and patently pro-imperialist and reac­ "three worldist" ideas ich ne­ struggles within these countries. It tionary ones as stalwart fighters gated the class questions within promotes a nationalist approach in­ against imperialism. An example of these countries and prettified the stead. The revolutionary struggles the absurd extent to which this regimes of the bourgeois-landlord of the toiling masses drop out of the propaganda reaches is given in the ruling classes. The PLA denounced picture; the distinctions between following ATA article from 1982, the Chinese leadership for support­ different types of regimes, reaction­ which makes the astounding claim ing such bloodstained "third ary, liberal, and revolutionary, are that the bourgeois pro-imperialist world" regimes as those of the Shah obscured; and a blind eye is turned governments of Latin America were in Iran, Pinochet in Chile, etc. But towards the actual role of exploita­ taking steps towards detaching for several years now, the PLA is tion and oppression which is played themselves from U.S. imperialism. taking positions which are akin to by all but the revolutionary re- 51 Efforts of Latin American Countries to Detach Themselves From the Tutelage of the USA The representatives of the Latin the role played by the Organization of described as an "estate" of the USA. At American countries gathered in Bogota. American States manipulated by Wash­ a speech held in San Francisco recently, The news agencies report that one of ington. The indignation and the anti­ the U.S. under-secretary of state for the aims of this meeting is the examin­ American sentiments ofthe Latin Amer­ . inter-American affairs, Enders, tried to ing of the draft on the creation of a new icans have increased especially after legalize the policy of the U.S. adminis­ organization of these countries without the open support of the United States tration and reiterated the" great strate­ the participation of the USA. for the British aggressi~n to occu~y the gic importance" of Latin America for This is another fact which expresses Malvinas Islands, which belong to Ar­ the USA. the dissatisfaction of the Latin Ameri­ gentina. They in Washington do not (Reprinted from Albanian Telegraphic can countries towards the policy of dic­ conceal their worry for this course of Agency News Bulletin, August 24, tate applied by U.S. imperialism and events in an area which has always been 1982.) 0

EUROPE During the latter half of the towards French imperialism's mili­ Sweden again shows the PLA's pat­ 1970's, the PLA also denounced the tary adventures in Chad or Leba­ tern of highlighting purely national "three worldist" ideas on the so­ non. At the same time the PLA finds struggles from history. In this case called "second world" which wiped occasions to praise the "neutral" it celebrates the 460th anniversary out the class struggle in Europe and capitalist powers of Europe, such as of Sweden's independence from the prettified the West European bour­ Switzerland, Sweden and Austria, Scandinavian Union in 1523; this geoisie as fighters against the two as models of independence and . event from over four centuries ago, superpowers. The PLA pointed to democracy. which the present royal dynasty and denounced the imperialism of Below we reprint a number of ar­ dates back to, can hardly be a signi­ such European countries as France, ticles from the Albanian press ficant event in the life and struggle West Germany, etc. which show the PLA's attitude to­ of the Swedish masses today. It is But today a petty-bourgeois na­ wards Western Europe. First, we a curious fact that the Albanian tionalist spirit is also seen in the begin with an ATA reprint of a Zeri press only discovered this event in PLA's attitude towards Europe. The i Popullit article which presents the 1982 when they celebrated the PLA has detached the question of . general situation in Western Eu­ 459th anniversary of Swedish inde­ the struggle against the superpow­ rope merely in terms of U.S. impe­ pendence. ers from the internal class struggle rialist oppression. Not only is it Meanwhile, in the article on in Europe. This has brought with it silent on the imperialism of the Switzerland, the PLA goes to the a toning down of the fight against West European rulers but it even outrageous extreme of praising the imperialism of the European praises them for being some sort of Switzerland for its treatment of capitalist powers. A notable exam­ force against U.S. imperialism. immigrants. This is ridiculous; ple of this can be seen in the utter Next we reprint two articles Switzerland, like its other West silence the PLA maintains towards which show the PLA's praise for the European neighbors, is well known the crimes of French imperialism, bourgeois governments of Sweden for its racist treatment of the immi­ as seen for example by its silence and Switzerland.. The article on grant workers .

Europe in Face of the American Dictate Under the above title, the newspaper In regard to France, the article says, same time, he regretted that the USA Zeri i Popullit publishes an article which it was the first to officially declare that takes dec ions in regard to the Atlantic speaks of the opposition of the Euro­ it will not consider the embargo of Alliance without consulting its Europe­ pean countries towards the embargo Reagan concerning the use of the an allies. As the AFP reported, Emilio that Reagan declared for the European­ American know-how for the construc­ Colombo too, during his visit in the Siberian gas pipeline and for the other tion ofthe gas pipeline. On his part, the USA, "opposed the decision on the diversionist measures he approved on West Gennan chancellor Schmidt embargo taken by President Reagan." the trade relations between the USA stated definitely that "Europe can by no Europe, the article points out, does and those countries. The countries of means accept any extension of Ameri­ not believe that Washington has de­ "United Europe" have seve\,ely de­ can sovereignty over the European clared the embargo to defend the nounced these stands from the posi­ Economic Community, using for this Atlantic Alliance from the "Soviet tions of a patron on the part of the purpose the embargo for the trans­ threat," moreover, at a time when the bosses of the White House. Siberian Soviet gas pipeline." At the USA itself is extending its economic re- 52 .. , lations with the Soviet Union. The only Western Alliance is passing a period of please Moscow, which does its utmost aim of the American administration is to crisis and is facing great disagreements to draw the profits, writes in con­ increase its control over Europe and put on many political and economic prob­ clusion Zeri i Popullit. it under its economic and political lems as well as an open conflict between (Reprinted from Albanian Telegraphic domination. the interests ofthe USA and Europe. On Agency News Bulletin, August 3, 1982.) The course of events shows that the the other hand, these disagreements o

Sweden in the 460th Anniversary of Its Independence On June 6, the Swedish people cele­ these have contributed to the strength­ marines and airplanes, as the social­ brate a marked event in their history, ening of the friendship between the Al­ imperialist Soviet Union has done in the 460th anniversary of the proclama­ banian people and Swedish people, to Sweden, but have been rebuffed by the tion of the independence of Sweden, acquainting our peoples with one an­ Swedish people. writes in one. of its articles the news­ other's achievements arid progress and In such a situation, peace in the paper Bashkimi. This victory of the to the development of the relations of Scandinavian peninsula and in Europe Swedish people was achieved after mutual interest. is better served by not allowing the im­ many years-long uprisings 'and battles "As in the past," Comrade Enver perialist superpowers to intervene and they waged for national independence Hoxha stressed in the 8th Congress of intimidate the peace-loving and free­ and the unity of the nation, inspired by the party, "we sincerely desire that the dom-loving peoples. Our people fully the patriotic sentiments to be free and relations of our state with Sweden support the struggle of the Swedish independent. should be further developed and ex­ people and the other Scandinavian peo­ The Albanian people, the newspaper tended in the positive and friendly di­ ples against the expansionist and hege­ points out further on, have always rection they have taken in recent monic policy of the two superpowers to wished good to the Swedish people. An years." preserve their independence and na­ expression of this good will are the After pointing out that the Albanian tional sovereignty. warm and friendly relations which exist people evaluate the well-wishing stand In conclusion, the newspaper writes: between our two peoples for years now, of the progressive Swedish opinion and On the occasion of the national day of relations which have always been recip­ press, which has written .positively Sweden, the Albanian people convey rocal and which develop constantly. about the good relations existing be­ sincere greetings to the friendly Swed­ Since 13 years, with the establish­ tween Sweden and Albania, the pro­ ish people, as well as the best wishes for ment of the diplomatic relations, our gress attained by socialist Albania, the their happiness, expressing once again country has always taken concrete steps work done by the Albanian people for the sincere wish for the further for the normal and positive develop­ the successful construction and defense strengthening of relations between our ment of the good bilateral relations with of their country, the newspaper stress­ two peoples and countries, to the com­ Sweden in various fields of mutual ben­ es: The development of events shows mon interest and the preservation of efit. The continuing exchanges of visits, that the superpowers have their expan­ peace in Europe and in the world. the trade and cultural groups, the artis­ sionist and hegemonic aims in the Nor­ (Reprinted from Albanian Telegraphic tic ensembles, the opening up of the dic countries, too. In order to realize Agency News Bulletin; June 5-7, 1983.) exhibitions is a positive fact and to the these aims they carry out diversionist o common good of the two peoples. All acts, interventions through spy sub-

Why Democratic Switzerland Worries Belgrade? By the end of last year a considerable spect of the laws and rules of the coun­ own country, they, neither more nor number of Albanians from Kosova, try. Swiss public opinion, which knows less, help destabilize Yugoslavia! Macedonia and Montenegro, whom the Albanians as honest hardworking The Yugoslav chiefs are notorious for destitution and national oppression people who never create problems, not political blackmail of this, or even have compelled to take the road. of emi­ only did not complain about it but even lower, degree. They have gained great gration, organized in Geneva, Switzer­ openly expressed its sympathy with this skill in presenting themselves as threat­ land a manifestation in support of the manifestation of the representatives of a ened and endangered, as the center of demands of their brothers and sisters in people who demanded the national and world equilibrium. On this basis they their native country. They demanded democratic rights negated to them. try to get dollars and rubles, ammuni­ for Kosova the status of a Republic Moreover, the manifestation in Geneva tion and food, diplomatic privileges and within the framework of the Federation, was given positive coverage in many economic facilities. Nevertheless, it is the end of the discrimination of the Al­ press organs of different countries. hard to explain all their bile against banians of Yugoslavia in the field of ed­ Nevertheless, Belgrade began to neutral and democratic Switzerland, as ucation and national culture, the release thunder against Switzerland. The For­ previously, against Belgium and the FR of prisoners and the cessation of chau­ eign Ministry, the Socialist League, of Germany when manifestations of the vinist violence. radio stations and newspapers, associa­ poor Albanian emigrants, who demand­ The manifestation, according to re­ tions of veterans, etc., take turns at ed recognition of their rights, were or­ ports from ·news agencies, was peaceful accusing the Swiss authorities that, by ganized there. and correct and carried out in full re- permitting this manifestation in their However, it is hardly probable that, S3 by means of tricks such as is the present what its rights are. But Geneva is not written also in the Slovene, but when anti-Swiss campaign, they can make Prishtina where the Great Serbs can thousands of Albanians are thrown into any capital, and less so political capital. send in their tanks to crush demonstra­ prison, tortured and murdered, only be­ It is known worldwide that Switzerland tions, and the functionaries of the UN cause they demand their national rights is a free and democratic country which are not the rulers of Belgrade who turn in a peaceful manner and without vio­ bas given asylum and jobs to those per­ a deaf ear to the demands of the Koso­ lating the law, this, according to them, secuted by fascism or other reactionary vars. is not infringement of human r.ights! regimes, a state which has never med­ World public opinion is getting more Just as the voice of Kosova and of the dled in international quarrels and which and more thoroughly' acquainted with Albanian popUlation of Yugoslavia can­ has not favored one country to the detri­ the situation in Kosova and more and not be silenced by means of tanks, im­ ment of another. Because of this, the more supporting the Albanians in their prisonment, threats and insults, so UN has established many of its organ­ demands. This explains the unjustified world opinion cannot be forced into si­ isms on Swiss territory, and they carry Yugoslavs' tirade against the Swiss lence when, right in the heart of Eu­ out their activities freely and without authorities and their torrent of shame­ rope, an entire people is oppressed any impediment there. less abuse directed against the Kosovar and persecuted, because Belgrade dis­ As it seems, all this is not to the liking emigrants. The Yugoslav authorities likes to see its chauvinist and anti-Alba­ of the Yugoslav gentlemen. For exam­ can expect nothing from their claim that nian policy exposed and condemned ple, they are displeased that the Koso­ the Final Act of Helsinki cannot be ap­ more and more every day. var demonstrators, as the news agen­ plied to the Albanian demonstrators in (Reprinted from an article from Zeri i cies reported, presented a petition with Switzerland. So, the Yugoslavs under­ Pop ullit , the Central Organ of the Cen­ their demands to the Center of the UN stand and interpret the Chart of Helsin­ tral Committee of the Party of Labor of for human rights. Now these gentlemen ki to their liking. They do not desist Albania, as carried in Albania .Today, want not only to teach Switzerland what from telling others that human rights No. 1, 1983.) 0 to 'perinit and what to prohibit on its are infringed when, for instance, shop oWn territory, but also to show the UN signs in Korushka of Austria are not

FRENCH LANGUAGE

The tendency to detach the ques­ merized by such above-class crept into the English language. tion of the struggle against the two appeals as to defend European This article hardly represents a superpowers from the internal class civilization from . superpower en­ campaign by U.S. imperialism to struggle in Europe has led the PLA croachments. force the English language onto the to flirt with all-class appeals against . What frivolous "struggles" such French people. If there is anything the superpowers. For example, a defense of European civilization serious to it, the article is ridiculing in his November 10, 1982 " Ad­ leads to was revealed more recently the idea that campaigns to purify dress to the Electors," Enver in a Zen i Popullit article entitled the language, whether in France or Homa declares that, "The develop­ "American Linguistic Chauvinism" in the U.S., are of much value for ment and prosperity of the Euro- ' which was reprinted in the Number inflaming chauvinist passions . pean countries, the protection of 4,1983 issue ofAlhania Today . among the workers and that there­ their culture, traditions and civil- , This article comes to the defense fore, one would presume, the bour­ ization are achieved and consoli­ of French bourgeois academic geoisie should look to other more dated by opposing the hegemonic authorities who have launched yet effective chauvinist campaigns to ' policy of American imperialism and another of their periodic crusades to tie their workers to their coattails. Soviet social-imperialism." (p. 20) purify the French language from Nevertheless, the PLA takes the Here we find not only pious contamination by English and other satire carried in the New York wishes about "prosperity" and foreign words. The PLA claims that Times to be the expression of the such, but even the call to defend the crusade of the French authori­ policy of Washington. And it flies European "civilization." Of course ties has met a "brutal" response into extravagant theorizing on how Europe is known not only for its art from U.S. imperialism. As evi­ such struggles against U.S. impe­ and industry, but also for its brutal dence, it cites a signed article from rialist pressure as this one shows exploitation of the workers and for the editorial and commentary page "in the question of language a its imperialist .plunder of the colo­ of the New York Times. This was a fierceness seldom seen over politi­ nies and dependent nations all over satirical piece which ridiculed the cal problems." To paint up the the world. But what matter? Once French language campaign and, periodic revisions of the French the class struggle is lost sight of, tongue in chee.k, wondered whether dictionary as a fight against U.S. and once the condemnation of a similar campaign should be imperialism is absurd. European imperialism is toned adopted here in the U.S. against the Of course the French working down,. then one can become mes- many French words which have masses hate U.S. imperialism. But S4 .' I they want to fight on serious issues imperialist bloc; and so forth. What cialist revolution against the French such as against U.S. imperialist is more, opposition to France's bourgeoisie. But the PLA tends to aggression in Central America, the subordination to U.S. imperialism forget this fact as illustrated by this Middle East and elsewhere; against can only become strong if it is linked hysteria over the purity of the Washington's deployment of the to the struggle against French French language. infamous Euromissiles; against the imperialism and is used as one of , overall war ,drive of the Western the levers to organize for the so- • America's Linguistic Chauvinism Superpower arrogance is expressed measures a country or nation takes to peoples. This is also done to emasculate, not only in policy, economy, defense, defend the purity of its mother tongue the cultural traditions and the nation.1 science, technology, technique and oth­ to be fully justified. Language is a­ physiognomy of other peoples. Any. er fields, but also in the field of lan­ ·mongst the more important elements of thing of a national character is unac· guage. When steps were recently tak­ the national identity, and the peoples c;eptable to the forces that are bent on en in France to limit the use of foreign have the right to defend it and develop assimilating and wiping out the lan~ words, mainly English, which have un­ it further in accord with its nature, his­ guage and national independence of necessarily swamped French although tory and tradition. Why is such a pro­ other peoples. As the American press the latter is not lacking words of its own cess not to the liking of Washington and presents the question, the defense of of a similar meaning, Washington went why is it showing in the question of the purity of the national languages of in a rage. The mouthpiece of the Ameri­ language a fierceness seldom seen over other peoples is an expression of natipn. can monopoly bourgeoisie, the newspa­ political problems? Chauvinism, as the alism. To be against American cultural. per New York Times. expressing also ideological and cultural mentality of the imperialism is a form of nationali~m. the opinion of the American official cir­ imperialist powers which oppress or writes the American journal Herald cles, wrote in the tone of a war commu­ want to oppress other peoples and na­ Tribune. nique: "The attack on linguistic imports tions, expresses itself in all fields, in­ America's linguistic chauvinism has will not remain without a reply. We are cluding the language. There. are well­ already assumed flagrant forms. The ready for it. A compromise would be organized and generously financed campaign against efforts to maintain better, and if our requests are accepted, measures of the American official prop­ the purity of national languages in face we will be generous and work towards aganda and culture to implant English of the invasion of unnecessary alien the easing oftension." So openly a bru­ as an outgrowth in the body oftheir lan­ words has assumed the proportions of a tal speech is not very common in the re­ guages. Their argument is that Ameri­ real crusade with a profoundly anti·sci­ lations of the United States with its ca's technological advance makes nec­ entific, anti-national and reactionary West European allies, even when its essary the substitution of many words of content. economic or political interests are in­ English for their equivalents in national (The above article. orginally published volved. languages. This is done to shrink the in Zeri i Popullit, is reprinted from AI. Any reasonable person considers the power ofthe national languages of other ;bania Today, No. 4. 1983.) 0

ROMANIA Over the last several decades, the denounced this notion and exposed means that while it remains. a Romanian revisionist regime, while that the Romanian revisionists were member of the Warsaw Pact, it also , remaining a member of the Soviet in fact a "card-castle" of anti­ heavily wheels and deals with the military bloc, the Warsaw Pact, has revisionism in Europe. U.S. imperialists, And at home, this , often postured as a regime with an But today the PLA has begun to regime is in dire economic straits "independent" foreign policy. The praise Romania as a country with an and maintains a tight grip over the' Chinese leadership promoted this in independent policy lUld which is working masses. the 1960's onwards as a pretext to making social progress. This is just Here we reprint a recent Alban­ paint the Romanian regime in as absurd now as it was earlier. ian article on Romania: "anti-revisionist" colors. The PLA Romania's "independence" merely

Historical Day for the Romanian People The newspapers Zeri i Popullit and people overthrew the military fascist sacrifices. It assumed broad proportions Bashkimi carry articles on the occasion dictatorship of Antonescu, liberated the during the summer of 1944, when the of the 39th anniversary of the liberation country from the foreign yoke and intro­ Red Army, led by J .V. Stalin and the of Romania. In its article Zeri i Popullit duced it on the road of development and other anti-fascist peoples of Europe writes among other things: progress. The Romanian people at­ were dealing lethal blows to the fascist On August 23, 1944, the Romanian tained this victory through struggle and aggressors. The entering of the Red 55 Army in Romania was the decisive fac­ freedom. In the face of this hostile ac­ liquidate the aftermath of the past and tor for the liberation of the country and tivity, the Romanian people intensified to develop and strengthen the national its purge from the fascist bands of Anto­ their struggle against the fascist bands economy and culture. nescu. At that time, the Romanian peo­ and reaction, carrying further the vic­ The Albanian people, Zeri i Popullit ple began the armed uprising, their tory of August 23. Three years later, writes in conclusion, has followed with struggle against fascism and reaction on December 30, 1947, they overthrew sympathy the victories achieved by the became more organized until fmally, the monarchy and proclaimed the coun­ Romanian people on their road for the the German occupiers and their quisling try a People's RepUblic. progress ofthe country. On this day of tools were expelled from the country. The previous anti-people regimes had their national celebration, the Albanian The liberation of the country, the made Romania a country where oppres­ people extend to the Romanian people newspaper points out, created favorable sion and exploitation for the working their sincere greetings and the best conditions for the Romanian people, masses prevailed, although the country wishes for the development and the opened up before them new prospects was rich in raw materials and fertile prosperity of the country. On this occa­ for an independent development of the lands. The economy of the country de­ sion, the Albanian people wish that the country, for political, economic and so­ pended on the foreign capital, which en­ friendly relations between our two peo­ cial transformations. After the libera­ sured fat profits. The liberation of the ples develop further in the future to the tion of the country too, they had to cope country created favorable conditions for benefit of their common interest. with the plans and activity of the inter­ the Romanian people, for the develop­ (Reprinted from Albanian Telegraphic nal and external enemies, the plots they ment and prosperity of the country. Agency News Bulletin, August 21-23, hatched up to strip the peoples of their They set down to constructive work to 1983.) 0

• VIET NAM The Vietnamese people waged a though it broke the chains of U.S. dominated by the Soviet social­ titanic liberation struggle against domihation, reunified the country im perialists. U.S. imperialism, a struggle which and accomplished social reforms However, the PLA paints Viet inspired the toiling masses and which were major advances over the Nam in Marxist-Leninist and anti­ progressive people everywhere. old reactionary regime, did not revisionist colors. It maintains Our Party owes its origins to, bring about a socialist revolution. fraternal relations with the revi­ among other things, the movement This was because the Vietnamese sionist party in Viet Nam and here in the U.S. in solidarity with leaders failed to fight revisionism praises them for not only carrying the Vietnamese liberation struggle. and have- become mired within the out the "construction of socialism We were overjoyed to see the defeat general pro-Soviet revisionist orbit. on the Marxist-Leninist road" but of the U.S. imperialist monster at Today the Vietnamese leaders are even for fighting "overt and covert the hands of the heroic Vietnamese part of the general pro-Soviet revi­ revisionism." We reprint here an people. sionist current and have even linked excerpt from an Albanian statement But victory in the Vietnamese their country with COMECON. the reporting on Enver Hoxha's reo national liberation struggle, al- international economic organization marks on Viet Nam made last year.

Comrade Enver Hoxha Receives the Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam On May 10, the First Secretary of the Alia, and the Minister of Foreign their determined struggle for the con­ Central Committee of the Party of Labor Affairs of the People's Socialist Repub­ struction of socialism on the Marxist­ of Albania, Comrade Enver Hoxha, lic of Albania, Reiz Maille, were also Leninist road, against the open and dis­ received the extraordinary ana pleni­ present at the reception .... guised modem revisionism. Viet Nam potentiary ambassador of the Socialist We are convinced, said Comrade and socialist Albania cannot be led Republic of Viet Nam to our country, Enver Hoxha further on, that at any astray or conquered by the imperialist Hoang Quoc Tin, in the residence of the time and in any situation the Viet­ and revisionist states .... Central Committee of the Party. The namese people, their Party and Govern­ (Reprinted from Albania Today, No.3, member of the Political Bureau and ment will stand strong guard of the vic­ 1983.) 0 .Secretary of the Central Committee of tories they have achieved in the strug­ the Party of Labor of Albania, Ramiz gle against imperialism and continue

.. 56 • MIXED MARRIAGES The PLA has long been a staunch 1980. This report lambasted the question with the attitude of Lenin champion of the struggle against all brutal national oppression carried towards the assimilation of dif­ national oppression. It has written out by the revisionist rulers of the ferent nationalities. blistering attacks against racism in Soviet Union. But in one place it Lenin pointed out that developing the U.S., against the virulent carried its critique too far and com­ capitalism knows two tendencies national oppression in the Soviet plained that "Other factors such as on the national question, a phenom­ Union, and so forth and has time 'internal emigration' and 'mixed enon which is equally applicable to and again stood firmly by the side of marriages' also assist this process the capitalist society that has been the struggling oppressed nationali­ [of Russification of the non-Russian restored in the revisionist countries. ties around the world. But, as the nationalities]." (Albania Today, No. -He wrote: PLA has begun to downplay the 1,1981, p. 12) "Developing capitalism knows class struggle and tended towards This view was further spelled out two historical tendencies in the viewing every question from a in a recent Albania Today. It states: national question. The first is the nationalist perspective, it has now "Mixed marriages are actively awakening of national life and and then lost its orientation. encouraged and their percentage is national movements, the struggle For example, in a few places the constantly increasing. In some against all national oppression, and PLA has condemned, in passing, republics they account for 20-23% the creation of national states. The alleged campaigns for "mixed of the total. This is considered an second is the development and marriages," by which it means mar­ important means for the denational­ growing frequency of international riages between people of different ization and Russification of the cul­ intercourse in every form, the nationalities. No one has ever heard ture, language, ethics, psychology, breakdown of national barriers, the of barriers being put up to "mixed traditions, and customs and the way creation ofthe international unity of marriages" in Albania, and the of life of non-Russian peoples. As capital, of economic life in general, negative references to "mixed ma~ the instruction is that on registra­ ofpolitics, science, etc. riages" occur in a discussion of at­ tion children should take up the "Both tendencies are a universal tempts by the Soviet revisionists to nationality and language of their law of capitalism. The former pre­ assimilate various nationalities. mothers, and as, for known reasons, dominates in the beginning of its Nevertheless, it is an amazing error it is the Russ\an girls that marry to development, the latter character­ to forget the opposition to "mixed men of other nationalities, the Rus­ izes a mature capitalism that is marriages" has long been a banner sian population in the federated moving towards its transformation of "racial purity" used by the bour­ Republics of the Soviet Union is into socialist society. The Marxists' geoisie to encourage racism and na­ steadily growing." ("Inequality and national program takes both tional oppression. It remains a cen­ National Oppression - Features of tendencies into account, and terpiece of the propaganda of such the Present-Day Soviet State," advocates, firstly, the equality "of arch racists as the Ku Klux Klan Albania Today, No.4, 1983, p. 54) nations and languages and the and various religious bigots. As well, Nowhere in these statements impermissibility of all privileges in opposition to "mixed marriages" does the PLA claim that the Soviet this respect {and {llso the right of has, attimes, served as a slogan for rulers carry out forced marriages nations to self-determination, with bourgeois from an oppressed between different nationalities. which we shall deal separately nationality by which they attempt to Therefore, it appears that it is con­ later); secondly, the principle of encourage extreme nationalist pre­ demning voluntary marriages be­ internationalism and uncompromis­ judices to maintain their hold over tween nationalities. Such a view ing struggle against contamination the toilers from their own national­ amounts to nationalist philistinism. of the proletariat with bourgeois na­ ity. The PLA has fought consistently It confuses a phenomenon which tionalism, even of the most refined against the bourgeoisie, the racists appears to indicate the breaking kind. ,. (Lenin, "Critical Remarks on and reactionaries. But having put down of hostilities between nation­ the National Question," Collected on nationalist blinders the PLA has alities, and which should assist the Works, Vol. 20, p. 27, emphasis as mistakenly picked up this slogan of internationalist unity of the work­ in original.) the very enemies it has been fight­ ers, with national oppression. In worrying about assimilation ing against. What the PLA seems to be wor­ through voluntary "mixed mar­ We first noticed a reference ried about is that "mixed mar­ riages" the PLA has weakened its against "mixed marriages"- in a riages"- will lead to the assimila­ correct condemnation of violence, report delivered at the Scientific tion of nationalities in the Soviet inequality and privileges between Session on "Soviet Revisionism and Union. It claims that this is the plan nationalities. the Struggle of the PLA for Its of the Soviet revisionists. But con­ In his article, Lenin polemicises Exposure" held in Tirana in late trast the stand of the PLA on this against a Jewish nationalist devi- 57 ator (a bundist) who railed against oirs The Anglo-American Threat to ist poUcy of Roman emperors and " assimilation. " Lenin calls for a Albania (Tirana, 1982), Enver re­ others." (p. 92 and p. 95, emphasis stern fight against all use of force cords a conversation he had with a added) and violence in the national ques: British general during World War II This is such an absurd theory of tion and then goes on to ridicule in which he offered the following history that it is hard to dignify it "the nationalist bogey of assimila­ theory to explain the historical with a refutation. To try to explain tion. "He stresses: "In condemning difftjrences between Albania and the contemporary status of different 'assimilation' Mr. Liebman had in Britain: peoples according to whether or not mind, not violence, not inequality, "Our people, small in numbers, they mixed their blood or adopted and not privileges. Is there anything have fought during their whole the ways of life of foreigners over real left in the concept of assimila­ existence. Your people have fought, the centuries is ridiculous. To ex­ tion, after all violence and all in­ too, but the wars of our two peo­ plain the roots of British colonialism equality have been eliminated? . ples have been of different charac­ in the taking over of the "expan­ "Yes, there undoubtedly is. ters. Our country has been invaded sionist policy of Roman emperors" What is left is capitalism's world­ many times, but we have always is sheer nonsense. Likewise, the historic tendency to break down fought the enemies, we have driven theory of seeking the basis of the national barriers, obliterate national them out and we have never mixed Albanian people's resistance to distinctions, and to assimilate our hlood with them .... foreign domination over the cen­ nations - a tendency which mani­ "Foreigners have occupied your turies in some notion of the "pur­ fests itself more and more power­ country, too. Wars have been ity" of the Albanian nation is non­ fully with every passing decade, waged there, too. Who hasn't sense. It is also a myth. For ex­ and is one of the greatest forces invaded your island: the Celts, the ample, the Albanian people put up a transforming capitalism into Romans. the Vikings, the so-called courageous fight against the Turk­ socialism . .. (Ibid., p. 28, emphasis 'Northmen,' and others but the ish Ottoman occupiers. But can it be as in original) kings and queens of England, the said that the Albanian people never It is precisely this which the PLA upper strata of the country, have took up "ways of life" from the has forgotten when it worries about accepted the occupiers and made Turks or intermarried with them? It assimilation and "mixed mar­ peace with them, have coexisted cannot. How then did so many Al­ riages." A similar nationalist pre­ and intermarried with them, have banians embrace the Islamic reli­ judice has shown up in one of Enver adopted the foreigners' way of life gion, adopt Arabic names, etc.? 0 Hoxha's latest works. In his mem- and even taken over the expansion-

58 • •

Reference Material: From Comrade Enver Hoxhals Speech of November 10, '1982 (Below we reproduce extracts from Comrade Enver terrorist means to crush all those who would rise Hoxha's Address to the Electors of November 10, against this great treachery. If they were unable 1982. We have reprinted the relevant material on to act to carry out their criminal intentions, this M ehmet Shehu and on the international situation was connected with their great fear of the that was discussed in our Internal Bulletin ofDecem­ people and the Party and their steel unity, which ber 22, 1982. We have omitted the passages on the does not allow any enemy, however cunning and diabolical, to have its way. Mehmet Shehu was . successes of the socialist economy in Albania. The never able to alter or distort the line of the Party, text has been reproduced directly from the English because if he tried to do so he would be edition ofthe Speech produced by Albania's "8 Nen­ immediately unmasked. tori" Publishing House. The page numbers in the Cought between two fires - the order of margins correspond to the "8 Nentori" original.) the UDB, which was driven to desperation' as it lost ground in Kosova. ond his fear of the unity of the Party and the people. Mehmet She­ Against this unity of the Party and people 5 ... hu could see no alternative but the shameful Mehmet Shehu. too. one of the most dangerous course of suicide.... traitors and enemies of socialist Albania. broke his head. He had been criticized many times by the Party for his grave mistakes. but had Dear comrades. 17 managed to camouflage himself. The documents that have been discovered and incontestible We are living in a very tense international evidence prove that since before the War he situation. full of great threats and dangers to had been working for the American secret ser­ the freedom and independence of the peoples. vice. During the War and after liberation Meh­ peace and international security. This situation met Shehu fought and worked in Albania as a is the result of the intensification of the aggres­ mercenary in the pay of foreigners and under sive policy and activities of the imperialist super­ their orders. When he was in the 1st Brigade powers and the revival of various reactionary. he .was recruited by the Yugoslav secret service fascist and war-mongering forces. (OZNA. today the UDB) and then. by the Soviet Both in the United States of America and KGB, and he served them all zealously, Acting in the Soviet Union, an adventurous militarist on the orders and instructions of foreign espio­ course is becoming predominant in their foreign nage centres, especially the CIA and the UDB, policy, a strategy of direct military intervention he and the group of plotters linked with him, as a means to secure expansion , and their po­ who ' are now in the hands of the authorities litical and economic hegemony in the world is for full investigation. worked to destroy the being implemented. Now the superpowers have Party and the people's state power and to put made not only the peoples and countries which Albania under foreign rule. have been outside the zones of their domina­ In order to carry through the subversive, tion. but also their closest partners in the mi­ gangster plans worked out by their patrons in litary alliances and economic blocs. the objecti­ Washington, Belgrade and elsewhere, Mehmet ves of this general offensive. Shehu and his associates were prepared to com­ In these situations. the peoples, of course. mit grave crimes. Mehmet Shehu had received are not Sitting idle. The revolutionary, patriotic'1S orders from the Yugoslav UDB to kill the First democratic and peace-loving forces everywhere Secretary of the Central Committee and other in the world are putting up open and determ­ "6 leaders of the Party and state, as well as to use ined resistance to the inhuman aggressive policy 59 of American imperialism and Soviet social-imper­ countries. In a way. this action is a return to ia'tism. In Afghanistan. in the Middle East. in the old policy of the European Great Powers Salvador. etc.. armed struggle is being waged which. under the pretext of «putting down un­ to regain the violated freedom and the lost rest.. and «restoring order... sent their troops independence. The Iranian people are making to various countries in order to establish their great efforts to defend their revolution from domination there. the threats and blackmail of the two superpow­ The opinion of our Party is that the strength- 20 ers. In all the capitalist countries without ex­ ening of peace and security in Europe. in ception the resistance ' of the working class to the Mediterranean or in the Middle East. the defend their democratic rights and their right development and prosperity of the European to work Won in long class battles has extended countries. the protection of their culture. tradi­ greatly. The struggle of many countries for na­ tions and civilization are achieved and conso­ tional sovereignty over their raw materials and lidated by opposing the hegemonic policy of for independent development is being waged at American imperialism and Soviet social-imper­ a higher level and in broader proportions. ialism. by giving them no possibility whatsoever These struggles and efforts also constitute of exploiting their political. economic and other those main 'factors which hit the world capitalist links with these countries in order to attack other and imperialist system. which cause the crises in countries. to jeopardize the freedom and inde­ the capitalist alliances and exacerbate the inter­ pendence of the peoples. peace and interna­ imperialist contradictions. which restrain and tional security. hinder imperialism in the realization of its enslav­ Neither the Atlantic Pact. the Warsaw ing and war-mongering plans. Treaty. the military bases established in various Our Party and Government. as always. at­ countries. nor the' superpowers' atomic weapons tentively follow the various processes which take guarantee the defence of the European countries. place in the world and draw the respective their free and independent development. their conclusions about the stands they should adopt sovereignty and territorial integrity• . They are se­ towards them. stands which must respond to the cured by breaking up these pacts and by send­ needs of the defence and security of our state ing the American and Soviet soldiers back to and country. We are aware that the situations their homes. by breaking and smoshing the pol- in the world never stand still and immovable. oitical. economic and military chains. with which They are always changing and evolving for bet­ Washington and Moscow have bound Europe. ter or for worse. according to the ratio of the Such a thing should be done in the Bal­ 19 class forces in the world. the development of the kans. too. where. taking advantage of the dif­ various contradictions. crises. etc. ficult situations created in some country. the Now we see that. as a result of the' hege­ superpowers have begun to move. to exert va­ monic policy and brutal intervention of the rious pressures and demand new concessions in United States of America and the Soviet Union. their favour. The provision of military bases and new tensions and conflicts are being created in different facilities for the United States and the Europe. the Mediterranean. the Middle East, Soviet Union threatens the peace and security and the Balkans. directly threateoning the peace of the Balkans and so does sinking deep into and security' of many countries of these regions. debt to the superpowers. which entails many The countries of Western and Eastern Europe dangers. not only for the independence of the are in the iron grip of the two superpowers debtor country. but also for its neighbours. It which now not only want to grab their wealth. is known that. when you have mortgaged your21 but also to squeeze the life out of them. Quite title deeds and cannot pay up. the day comes rightly. the broad popular masses in many when the creditor seizes not only your home. but countries have risen in protests and demonstra­ also the ground on which it is built. tions . against the stationing of American and The Balkan peoples have suffered enough Soviet atomic weapons and are inSistently de­ in the past and do not want the map of their manding their removal from our old continent. peninsula to be changed in favour of this or The masses are aware that by putting thes.e that superpower. Therefore. the Balkan states countries under their atomic umbrellas. the should not permit the imperialist powers to en­ superpowers want to keep them in perpetual ter the Balkans on any occasion or in any way, political and economic subjection and to make ' to disturb the peace and security of their coun­ the whole of Europe cannon fodder for the tries. Americans and the Soviets. The present situation in the Middle East has Regardless of what justifications may be put become very disturbing. The new Israeli aggres­ uP. the dispatch of military units from some sion against lebanon. or9.anized. financed and European countries to Lebanon. along witli incited by the American imperialists. has created those of the United States. constitutes a very, direct threats and dangers. not only for the dangerous precedent for direct military inter­ peoples of the surrounding zone. but also for vention in the internal affairs of independent those of a much wider area. 60 • Taking advantage of the great American gle, as a great support for our cause. aid and the divisions amongst the Arab peoples, Israel has extended its range of provocations Comrades, and wants to destroy, one after the other, all those countries which do not accept the grab· At the 8th Congress of the Party the princi­ bing of Arab territories and genocide imposed ples from which the foreign policy of our country on the long-suffering Palestinian people. proceeds, and our stand towards the major The expansionist policy and activity of Israel current international problems, as well as to­ at the expense of the Arabs is also incited and wards individual countries and the different po­ favoured by the policy of the Soviet Union, its litical forces and movements in the world were behind-the-scenes deals and plots to the detri· clearly defined and expressed. Today, as in the ment of the Arab peoples. past, this policy has the complete backing of our After Camp David, Israel" attacked Lebanon. people, because it expresses their thoughts and Now it is demanding the submission of Jordan desires, because it defends the supreme interests and is threatening Syria with war. Whose turn of the Homeland. will it be tomorrow - Iraq's, Saudi Arabia's or Our people support this policy because it 22 han's? The American and Israeli staffs are think· is an entirely independent policy which is not ing about and working for this. But will the inhibited by any external influence of whatever brave Arab peoples allow Israel and its Ameri· nature. The voice of Albania in international can bosses to do whatever they please to their relations is her voice alone. And this is an ad­ detriment? Will they remain divided as they are ditional reason why it is listened to, respected so that Israel and American imperialism defeat and taken into account. and crush them one by one, as they are doing? Our stands are known. We have said and We believe that this will not happen. The continue to say that we will have no rapproche­ Arab peoples are freedom-loving peoples with ment or reconciliation with either American very ancient fighting traditions, peoples that imperialism or Soviet social-imperialism which to have given mankind a whole civilization. They us and all the peoples are the greatest enemies. 24 will certainly find the strength to unite and We will resolutely oppose their aims of hegemony stop the Zionist aggressors from grabbing the and relentlessly expose their aggressive plans. Arab lands and exterminating the people who Our opinion is, and life has proved, that our inhabit them. However protracted the struggle, struggle and irreconcilable stand against Amer­ however great the difficulties and however many ican imperialism and Soviet social-imperialism the sacrifices required of them, victory will be constitute an essential condition for the preser· theirs. Right is on their side, the whole of pro­ vation of the freedom and independence of the gressive mankind is with them. Our people have Homeland, for progress on our socialist road. always stood beside the fraternal Arab peoples, With the other countries, such as France, the heroic Palestinian people and supported the Scandinavian countries, Switzerland, Belgium, their just cause. In the future, too, the just the Netherlands, etc., regardless of their social struggle of the Arabs and Palestinians will have system, we are for normal relations on the basis the full and unreserved support of the Albanian of non-interference, equality and mutual interest. people. We want these relations to serve the economic, cultural and social development of both sides, the strengthening of friendship between peoples Recently, especially since Reagan came into and sovereign states and, at the same time, the office, there has been a noticeable increase interests of the preservation and strengthening of both of American interference and Soviet in­ peace in the world. trigues in Latin America. The peoples of Latin Our country has been and is for the de­ America are resp'onding to this attack by in· velopment of international trade, which it consi­ creasing their resistance to enslaving imperialist ders a useful and necessary means for every plans. The Albanian people have supported and country. However. we demand from all our part­ continue to support this struggle of the latin­ ners in trade that it should be based only on American peoples, and this was expressed in mutual benefit and complete equality. that it the case of the conflict over the Malvinas, in should be free of any pressure and discrimina­ 23 which we supported the undeniable rights of the tion. MoreoCier, we do not permit trade 'relations Argentinian people. to be utilized as a means to interfere in our The struggle of our people for the con­ internal affairs or to impose alien political and struction of socialism, for the defence of freedom ideological concepts on us. To us trade means and independence is in favour of and an active trade. that is. the free and balanced exchange support for the struggle the peoples are waging of goods. and we never confuse it with the against imperialism and reaction. At the same acceptance of credits, which is quite another time, we consider the struggle of the peoples matter. for freedom and independence as our own strug· Socialist Albania. our people, very highly 61 •

2S esteem the progressive achievements of every The Albanian people and the Turkish people country in culture. science and technology. all have a great love for each other. We make values which serve the development and advance .diplomatic love .. with nobody. This is not the of mankind. Hence. we are for normal cultural custom of the Albanian but. when we pledge exchanges with other countries. for mutual recog­ our word, we keep it and do not turn whichever nition of progressive and democratic achieve­ way the wind blows. We condemn those who ments in this field. without discrimination or violate our friendship or misuse our trust. The prejudice. great and sincere friendship that links us with As is natural. our country devotes particular the fraternal Turkish people has never been attention to its relations with the neighbouring shaken. The different forms of regime have never 27 countries. What has inspired and inspires its shaken this friendship, because it is based on stand is the desire to live together as good the fine sentiments of our peoples. it is based neighbours. always to have useful relations and on those links of fraternity and blood relations, to build normal collaboration on the basis of the with hundreds of thousands of Albanians who principles of complete equality and non-interfe­ live, work, are married and have children, who rence in the internal affairs of others. respect die and ore buried in a common soil with the for national sovereignty and non-violation of Turks. territorial integrity, and exhanges on the basis We honour and respect the great leader of of mutual interest. the Turkish people, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who, We have · good relations with the Italian as an outstanding democrat, destroyed the Ot­ people and we do not confuse them with Mus­ toman Empire and the Caliphate and set up the solini's fascists who spread death and destruc­ new democratic Turkey. Let all the pseudo­ tion in our country. In my wartime notes I read democrats and pseudo-socialists who oppress the with pleasure the· words that General Azzi, who, peoples, who trample on their rights and keep after the capitulation of Mussolini's army, con­ colonialism alive, sugar-coated with pompous fidently surrendered his whole army to the Ge­ words. follow the example of Kemal AtatGrk who neral Staff of our partisan army and the Albanian cut the .. Gordian knot. of the Ottoman Empire people, said to me when we met in the village of with his sword. It is our desire that our friend­ Arbana, in the vicinity of Tirana, .. We are gra­ ship with the fraternal Turkish people should be teful to the Albanian people and partisans who continuously strengthened and developed further saved and sheltered thousands of my soldiers, in every field. sons of the Italian people. I personally and the We love and respect the Greek people, Italian people will not forget this generosity. I because they nurture tlie same feelings of friend­ will be a friend of the Albanian people till I de, .. ship towards the Albanian people. We are sin­ continued General Azzi. And he remained a cere with each other. Neither wishes the other friend until he died. ill, but only well. These are historical links ce­ 26 The regimes of our countries are opposed mented with the blood shed together against the to each other. we have our laws and way of same occupiers. We do not confuse the feelings life. and the Italians have theirs. Nevertheless, of the Greek people with those of the chauvinists. we have normal trade and cultural relations We shall develop our relations of friendship with Italy. which we are ready to extend o~ with the Greek people further. The Greek people the basis of mutual benefit and without inter­ call the Albanian heroes of the Greek revolution fering in each other's internal affairs. If any of 1821 who fought under the command of Italian government considers these relations of Ypsilantis • .. Arvanites penemeni .. and .. palicaria no interest, it may do whatever it likes. this will not affect us much. Nevertheless, we think Arvanites .. •. Capo d'istria and the Russian czars, 28 differently - that these relations are useful to the Serbian kraljs and the Moldavian voivodes ­ 'both sides. Ours is not an isolated and closed betrayed the Greek revolution, but the Albanians, country, we have things to sell to Italy and things with Marko Bo~ari at the head, with Ali Pasha to buy from it for hard cash, as we have with Tepelena and the <;apo r,ajs, remained loyal t~ many other countries. it to the death. A glorious Arbereshi community also links The Government of the People's Socialist us with the Italian people. Neither we nor the Republic of Albania and the Greek governments Italians should forget Garibaldi's fine words and - right-wing, new democratic or socialist, have high esteem for the Albanians and the Arbereshi. always considered the friendship between· the For five centuries the Arbereshi have been Albanian people and the Greek people as a living in Calabria and Sicily. This community has pressing political necessity. Regrettably, however. given Italy and Albania outstanding people. for the past 40 years. without any reason. the While living in friendship with the Italian people, so-called .. Iowan the state of war with Albania .. , the Arbereshi have preserved their Albanian an absurd law without any basis, which is con- customs and language through the centuries. This community, which draws us closer to the • Famous Albunians and brave Albanians (Greek Italian people, is a factor for friendship. in th'! original). 62 demned both 'by the Albanian and the Greek together with Wrangel's Great-Russian bands, peoples. as well as by world opinion, has been brought to Albania his agent - the bandit Ahmet maintained in Greece. Every reasonable and Zog, who, as a great traitor to the Homeland, realistic person in Greece understands that such gave Yugoslavia Shen-Naum of Pogradec and a law hampers the shortening of ways for an Vermosh as a gift in return for this assistance. The even more friendly development in the direction Belgrade chiefs want to do the same thing today of Arta. Preveza, and loannina as well as the with the criminal terrorist gangs of a certain whole of Greece. hooligan and trafficker in arms, drugs and white It was not in my intention to speale today slaves, Leka Zogu, to whom, astounding though about our relations with Yugoslavia. because it may seem, a country friendly to us gives we have expressed the stand of our state towards shelter and allows him to give interviews to the that country a thousand times and we stand press and to call for the overthrow of the by what we have said. However, I am obliged people's power in Albania. We have facts to to speak about them, because the Belgrade prove that it was the 'fugoslav Titoites who sent chiefs not only have turned a deaf ear to what to our coast Xhevdet Mustafa's group of gang­ our Party and Government have pointed out sters, whom we wiped out mercilessly without but have built up a whole campaign of giving them time to draw breath or see the sun slanders and attacks against socialist Albania of Albania. At the appropriate moment the world 29 and its policy which is as clear as the light of will be told the details of this affair and what day, with all their propaganda and diplomatic it was intended for. However, the dangerous means. For at least 40 years, on end, not to go thing about it is that the Yugoslavs, violating further bacle, the Belgrade chiefs have incited the sovereignty of two countries friendly to us the southern Slavs, and especially the Serbs, to and without their knowledge, trained these live in constant enmity with the Albanians inha­ criminals and landed them in our country. To biting their own territories in Yugoslavia, as well train terrorist gangs and send them into another as with independent socialist Albania. This hos­ country is a grave criminal oct condemned in tility towards the Albanians, this savage chauvi­ the practice of international relations. nism and contempt towards them, this unres­ No.w we have only this to say to the Yugoslav _ trained tendency and appetite to annex Albania Titoites: don't play with fire, because if a con,31 is something atavistic in them. What malees the flag ration breaks out, you will get yourselves issue still more dangerous is that the other burnt in it. For our part, we defend ourselves southern Slav peoples lack the courage to stop and we know how to do so, we know how to this wave of savagery. Fight and triumph over any enemy. But we do In the time of the National Liberation War not lilee this ominous course, full of dangers, we sincerely loved the Yugoslavs, and respect­ which you are following. Nevertheless, if you ed and honoured Tito more than he deserved. force our hand we shall give you the reply you We sent large partisan units which fought side deserve. But we tell the Yugoslav leaders not to by side with the Yugoslav and Kosova Albanian take this hopeless course which is fraught with partisan units in Southern and Central Yugo­ many dangers for our two countries, for the slavia. Hundreds and hundreds of heroic sons and Balkans and perhaps even for Europe. You, the daughters of Albania were killed or wounded for southern Slav peoples, are responsible because, the liberation of Yugoslavia, but now a Serbian instead of making the Great Serbs see reason dog called Sinan Hasani comes out and dares and forcing them to change course. to adhere to insult on the blood they shed. He even goes to the principles and practice of good neighbour­ to such lengths as to claim that the Yugoslavs liness with socialist Albania and to establish formed our Party, they organized the Albanian normal. peaceful relations with the Albanians National liberation War and gave Albania every­ livinq in Yugoslavia. you allow them to fan up thing. But let the dog bark, that is what he is the flames. paid for. We are convinced that there are progressive Both in the -past and right up to this moment elements among the other southern Slav peoples, when I am speaking to you, Tito and company as well as among the Serbs. There is no other • have always rejected our hand of friendship and way to solve the problems apart from a change done everything in their power to cut it off. in the political stand towards Albania and the Openly or through their secret agents, for forty Albanians living in Yugoslavia. We shall conti­ 30 years on end Tito and his successors have nue on the course set by the 8th Congress of constantly hatched up plots to destroy socialist the Party of labour of Albania. the main report Albania, to wreck our Party, to physically liquidate of which the Y~oslav leaders have read upside some of its main leaders. This they tried to do down. Our proposals were as wise as they were , through their longstanding agent, the traitor conciliatory, whereas your course is fraught with Mehmet Shehu, too. But all their plots failed many dangers for Yugoslavia, which we want to and they will always fail. remain as it is. You do not pay serious atten­ In the past the Serbian Kralj, Karadjordjevic, tion to our words which are an expression of 63 the sincere feelings of the Albanian people. So sacred national heritage to be suppressed. Never much the worse for you. The world will charge at any time or in any country has the Albanian 32 you with grave responsibility. bowed in submission to or fled from the enemy Some governments of European countries when his freedom and legitimate rights have and the United States of America are trifling been violated. with our feelings and interests. We say to them You. gentlemen of Belgrade, have sent 60 that nobody is allowed to trifle with Albania thousand Serbian soldiers to Kosova to suppress and its interests. as was done in the past. The and kill the people of Kosova and to intimidate old times when the fate of our country could socialist Albania. But we are not intimidated. easily be trampled underfoot and Albania could we are ready. vigilant to a man. You speak with be attacked and partitioned have gone by for the language of force. while we try to speak good. with the language of reason . .But we know how 34 We shall continue. as always. to defend to speak in the language of force. too. our Albanian brothers living on their own terri­ Albania is a sensitive strategic key point. tories in Yugoslavia. with all the strength of our Europe must keep this in mind. Some sneer at hearts. in 'their rights which the Constitution our fortifications, while arming themselves to the recognizes to them. Let the Yugoslavs and world teeth with every kind of weapons, and · others opinion have no doubts about this. This is re­ underrate ou r strength. So much the worse for cognized by international law and this is how them. Certain journalists whose pens are for all those states which have national minorities hire, certain cafe politicians with their «analyses outside their borders act. of strategic plans .. and the Great Serbs in the At the 8th Congress of the Party of Labour first place, spreod the idea and insinuate that of Albania we made our stand towards Yugo­ in these or those circumstances, indeed in all slavia clear and we remain unshakeable in this circumstances. Albania will b,e gobbled up by stand. The destruction and disintegration of Yugo­ the Russians. will leon to the Soviets, etc. slavia will never come from us. We are for We tell the Great Serbs. the secret firm the stability of the Federation. But with the friends of the Russians, that there are two ways Great-Serb. Macedonian and Montenegrin chau­ for the Russo-Bulgarian revisionists to attack vinists our conciliatory words go in one ear and Albania in order to reach our part of the Adria- - out the other. Their eyes have been blinded by tic coast. The one way is through the Vardar their chauvinism and megalomania. When we and Kosova and the other through the Straits appealed for reason and common sense. they of Otranto. In the first case, without the slightest pressed on with even more savage terror against doubt. the whole Alban'ian people Jiving in Ko­ the Albanians living on their territories in Yugo­ sova and other regions of. Yugoslavia -in slavia. They have thrown into jail thousa'nds of Skoplje and Kac;:anik. in Tetova and Gostivar. in heroic young men and women of Kosova whom Liap and Plava-Gucia, will meet the aggressors they torture barbarously and to whom they apply with guns. The whole of Yugoslavia will be 33a thousand insulting epithets. We tell the Yugo­ ablaze and the Russo-Bulgarian revisionist in­ slavs to free the young people from prison, for vaders. if they ever succeed in reaching our tne Albanian cannot tolerate for long such vio­ Alps. will be in the same shape as the German lations of the honour and rights ot his young nazis after the battle of Stalingrad. men and women. Let them not fill the cup, In the second case. we Albanians hold the because the response may have very dangerous key to the Straits of Otranto. SalOn Island and consequences. the Karaburun Peninsula- and do not fear All Kosova and the Albanian regions of that I am revealing any secret. are rocks clad Yugoslavia have been placed under savage in iron and concrete which the Soviet naval chauvinist military pressure. Now the .. differen­ fleet cannot pass. _ tiation .. , which means making Albanians spy on If our Russo-Bulgarian enemies and others 3S Albanians in favour of sinister Serbian forces, want to embark on such adventures they ought is going on on a large scale. But the people of to know that the Albanians are not a state of • Kosova cannot accept this shameful course, be­ three million, but a nation of six million people. cause it leads to fratricide: while the Great Ours was a small people in the time of the , Serbs will rub their hands in glee. Second 'World War, but although alone and The Serbs are inciting blood feuds among unarmed, they defeated and liquidated a consi­ Albanians. Kosova is being plunged in poverty derable number of Italian fascist and German and covered with graves. People do not know nazi divisions. Now the times have changed in where their sons and daughters are. The Alba­ favour of socialist Albania. hence: Hands off nian intellectuals are being decimated, insulted, Albania! humiliated and thrown out in the street. Only Albania threatens nobody. it wants to live in the time of the Inquisition have such perse­ in friendship with the others but. if anyone vio­ cutions occurred. No, the Albanian people living lates its rights and borders, it will retaliate in in Yugoslavia will not allow anything of their kind. likewise. it will reply in the sternest manner

64 to the injustices or insults anybody might employ to number 400 000 at that time. have remained against it. 400 000 to this very day, although almost 80 I am speaking openly and this is the firm years have gone by. According to them. the opinion of all our people. We soy what we so-called Greeks of Northern Epirus have neither think, others have ,10t foiled to speak against increased nor decreased. have had neither births us and moreover to slander us. We make no nor deaths. likewise. they say. 28000 Greeks unfounded statements and do not indulge in of the Northern Epirus languish in -Albanian slanders. Herein lies our strength, and that is prisons- at all times and all seasons. Unfortu­ why the progressive peoples respect socialist nately for those Greek bishops. who have no­ Albania just as we have great respect for them. thing to do with the Greek people. I can tell For this just and benevolent stand, we offer the Greek people and government on my full them our heart-felt thanks. authority that in the whole of Albania there are Messrs the Yugoslav . leaders arrogate to only 33 persons of the Greek minority serving themselves the right to raise their voice about short sentences of imprisonment for various of­ the .. injustices» the Bulgarians, the Greeks or fences, and only 4 of them for political offences. the Albanians allegedly commit against ~he Why is this so with the Greek minority of our Macedonians of Pirin and Aegeus or the tiny country? This is so because our people of the Macedonian minorities in Albania, while we, ac­ Greek .minority are good. honest people. like cording to them, hGlve no such right. They accuse the Greek people themselves. because the'y enjoy us of .. interfering in their internal affairs- when all the rights which every Albanian citizen enjoys, we defend the rights, under the lows of the because everywhere, among the Greek minority 36 Federation. of our brothers. whom they not only everythinQ is in their own hands. There the deny their rights, but whom they kill. imprison. cadres of the Party and state are only people and force into emigration, while Serbian and from the Greek minority. In every village of the Montenegrin colonists are brought into their Greek minority there are primary and agricultural birthplace to replace them. secondary schools and in G iirokastra there is a It was Mr Stambolic who launched the slo­ teachers training school in Greek. All the other gan of an -ethnically pure Kosova- which the cadres, . such as doctors, agronomists. veterina­ .. Albanian nationalists- allegedly demanded. This rians. economi·sts. teachers and professors, are is nQt a slogan of the Albanians. but of the people of the Greek minority, and there are Great Serbs. launched in order to drown Kosova houses of culture everywhere. The incomes of in blood. The Serbs and Montenegrins were the people of the Greek minority are among the 38 rightly frightened by this policy of terror and highest in our country. We Albanians live like began to flee from fear and because of the brothers with the people of the Greek minority poverty that prevails in Kosova. The Great Serbs in our common Homeland. The Greek mino­ are now trying · to saddle the Albanians with rity in Albania is not groaning, Messrs the chau­ this crime. although they themselves are respon­ vinists of the Northern Epirus. but singing and sible for the exodus of Serbs and Montenegrins. prospering. Recently the Yugoslavs. assisted by their As for religion. you need not worry about it. friend - Russia. have been qathering up .. Ma­ To believe or not to beiieve is a personal right. cedonians of the Aegeus.. from all over the a question of conscience and not on institutional place' in order to have them as a vanguard question: religion cannot be imposed according for Greece. One fine morning we shall hear to the desire or will of the hodjas. the bishops that Alexander the Great was a Slav. too. Why or the Pope of Rome. shouldn't they do even this? They have a pre­ I follow the Greek press and have read the cedent in the Great-Russian .. historian .. of the questions that some Greek or West-German jour­ 19th century. Vasilyevsky. In his . book on Byzan­ nalists have put to the people of the Greek tium he qoes to such lengths as to write there minority in our country and the answers they in black and white that since the modern Greeks have received from them. One of these journa­ are Orthodox christians. they are Slavs. hence lists asked on old woman of our Greek minority t!,ey do nof oriQinate from the ancient Greeks this question: who qave mankind one of the most brilliant .. Where is your church, where is your priest? .. civiliz~tions in the world. With the full conviction She answered: "Neither the church nor the of a Great-Russian chauvinist. Vasilyevsky states priest did anything to save me from the aghas Quite boldly in his book: .. The modern Greeks and the beys. When they .held sway. they gave are of Slav origin ... me neither bread to eat nor water to drink. The chauvinists of Northern Epirus and cer- neither electricity to light my home nor school n tain Greek bishops do the same thing when. for my sons and daughters. Only the Notional basing themselves on the statistics of Phanari liberation War. only my Party of Labour gave of the time of Sultan Hamid II. they describe me all these blessings. That is why I love the all the Orthodo,,; christians in Albania as Greeks. Party and not the priest.» And these so-called Greeks, who were supposed The newspaperman went on w,·h hiS qlJes-

65 tions to the old woman: «What about the sins Our state is atheistic by the will of its you have committed, to whom will you confess? .. people and there is no moral or material force Again the old woman replied with subtle which can impose on it anything different. Our humor: «My son has told me, 'live well in this people are masters of their own fate and senti­ world, mother, and as for the «other world .. , ments, The screams of Northern Epirus chauvi­ 39 blame me and my Party for your sins when you nists do not bother the Greek minority and get there', .. socialist Albania in the least, even if the chauvi­ There are hundreds and hundreds of millions nists are stirred up and paid under the lap by of people in the world who do not want to somebody else, and that somebody is not the believe in religion, Then why all this astonish­ -fraternal Greek people. ment at socialist Albania? 1 I

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66 • Available from Marxist-Leninist Publications

LITERATURE FROM THE PLA

o Imperlalilm and the Revolution by Enver Hoxha, Printed In the journal Proletarian Internationalilm 1979 125 pages $2.00

o The Theory and Practice of the Revolution, Editorial of Zerll Populllt, Organ of the Central Committee of the Party of Labor of Albania 1977 38 pages 50e

o Report Submitted to the 8th Congrels of the Party of Labor of Albania by Enver Hoxha, printed in the journal Proletarian Internationalilm 1981 82 pages $2.00

o Soviet Revillonilm - Enemy of Revolution and Socialism A collection of 28 articles from socialist Albania with Introductory articles by the MLP,USA printed In the journal Proletarian Internationalism 1982 124 pages $3.00

LITERATURE FROM THE MLP,USA

o Documents of the Second Congress of the Marxist-Leninist Party, USA Special issue of The Workers' Advocate, January 1,1984 95 pages ISBN 0-86714-026-7 $1.00

o Lessonl From the Falklands Conflict for the Struggle Against Imperialist War, theoretical issue of The Worl;ters' Advocate, September 5,1982 $1.00

o On the Welt European Movement Against U.S./NATO War Preparations. Some burning questions in the struggle against Imperialism. Published In the June 5,1982 theoretical issue of THe Workerl' Advocate 50e

o Mao, Browder and Social-Democracy Two articles exposing Chinese revisionism and Mao Zedong Thought 1980 50 pages ISBN 0-86714-001-1 $1 .00

o The Struggle for the Party Versus Chln.. e Revillonilm U.S. neo-revlslonlsm as the American expression of the International opportunist trend of Chinese revisionism 1980 73 pages ISBN 0-86714-005-4 $1.00

o Zion 11m II R8Cllm In the Service of Imperlalilm 1983 108 pages ISBN 0-86714-025-9 $1.00

o U.S. Imperlalllm, Get Out of EI Salvador I 1981 44 pages ISBN 0-86714-020-8 $1.00

Order all literature from: Marxist-Leninist Publications Ontario St. Stn. Chicago, IL 60611 Make checks or money orders payable to M-L Publications , .

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o OAKLAND: Oakland, CA 94609 tel. o SEATTLE: Seattle, WA 98118 tel. o CHICAGO: one block east of 18th St. "L" on Douglas line o NEW YORK: New location to be announced .oon About the Communist Voice Organization 6 9 Communist Voice — a journal of revolutionary theory

The Communist Voice is the successor to The Workers' Advo- mass communist party. It opposes both market capitalism, and the cate, which was the journal of a series of activist organizations, the state-capitalist regimes (such as Cuba or China today or Russia and last one being the Marxist-Leninist Party of the US. The MLP, most of Eastern Europe yesterday), which falsely call themselves which was founded on Jan. 1, 1980 and dissolved in November socialist or communist. It deals with the world crisis of 1993, stemmed from the anti-revisionist movement of activists who revolutionary theory, analyzes what happened to the revolutionary wanted to push forward the mass struggles and root them in the movements of the past, and opposes Stalinism, Trotskyism, working class, saw Marxism as an essential guide for the revolu- anarchism, and reformism. tionary struggle, and rejected the sell-out reformism of the official The CVO calls on activists who want to fight capitalism in all pro-Soviet communist parties. The MLP was opposed to both its guises, and see the importance of Marxist-Leninist theory, to join Soviet revisionism and Trotskyism. Its roots go back to the mass with us in supporting the path of class struggle and opposing the movements of the 1960s, such as the anti-racist, anti-war, student, bankrupt revisionist theories and practices of the past. It is time to women's, and workers' movements, and The Workers' Advocate lay the basis for the revolutionary communism of the future by itself was published from 1969 to 1993. revitalizing the communist theory and practice of today! Only when The Communist Voice is published by the Communist Voice Marxist communism spreads among the millions and millions of the Organization, and it continues, in a different form, with fewer oppressed can the struggle against capitalism again become a force resources, and with more emphasis on theoretical work, the struggle that shakes the world! of The Workers' Advocate to contribute to the development of a

For more about anti-revisionist communism, visit the CVO website at www.communistvoice.org. E-mail us at [email protected] or write us at CV P.O.Box 28536 Joyfield Station Detroit, MI 48228-0536

Another issue of The Workers' Advocate relevant to the issues Introduction to the April 2009 PDF edition raised here is that of May 1, 1984, vol. 14, #6, entitled "In The May 1, 1984 issue of The Workers' Advocate, which is defense of Marxism-Leninism: On Problems in the Orientation now being made available on the Internet in a PDF edition, was a of the International Communist Movement in the Period from the large pamphlet of 126 pages, which dealt with the line of the End of World War II to the Death of Stalin”. It can be Soviet-led section of the international communist movement in the downloaded from the CVO website at www.communistvoice.org/ immediate post-world war II period. It covered the period of WA8405TOC.html. Below is table of contents as well as the Stalin's leadership, up to his death in 1953, and analyzed the views introduction added on the occasion of our reprinting this issue in of Soviet leaders, the Cominform, various European parties, and PDF form in 2009. the CPUSA. It showed the revisionist nature of these views. The corrupt orientation of abandoning revolutionary work in the In Defense of Marxism-Leninism capitalist countries, and the other rotten practices which were at • Introduction of April 2009 one time thought to originate in Khrushchovite revisionism, were • On the roots of present-day revisionist errors in the earlier already being championed by the Stalinist leadership of this time. stands of the post-World War II period The pamphlet illustrated how superficial was the supposed • Soviet Leaders on the World Situation (1945-1954) repudiation at that time of Browderism and other liquidationist • Notes on Zhdanov's Speech to the Founding of the Cominform views, views which had led not only to the temporary dissolution (September 1947) of the CPUSA in 1944, but to the elimination of the revolutionary • On the Pacifist Policy of the World Peace Congress content of the agitation of many parties that called themselves (1949-1954) communist. • On the orientation of the French Communist Party from The pamphlet regarded these practices as major weaknesses 1944-1956 and seriously mistaken practices in a world movement that was • On "the British Road to Socialism" (1951): the Petty-Bourgeois still genuinely communist. At the time this document was pre- Nationalist Program of the British CP pared, although the Marxist-Leninist Party was polemicizing • The CPUSA's Liberal-Labor Approach to the Critique of against the mistaken orientations of the Stalinists, it still thought Browder that socialism was being built in the USSR during the post-war • Resolution of the Second Congress of the MLP,USA "Against period and right up until the Khrushchovite regime that came Trotskyism" about soon after Stalin's death. It still thought that it was under Khrushchov that socialism was first replaced with state-capitalism. 70 About the Communist Voice Organization

Further theoretical work and study of Soviet history by the MLP The issues raised by these documents have remained issues in and, later, the Communist Voice Organization led to the the left-wing movement till this day. They concern such matters as conclusions that the historic Bolshevik revolution of 1917 had the struggle against the threat of imperialist war, the attitude that begun fading away sometime in the 1920s, and that not a socialist the activists in imperialist countries should take to the national system, but a state-capitalist one, was built up in the USSR in the liberation movement, the assessment of social-democracy and 1930s. Thus in the post-World War II period the Soviet Union reformist forces, the stand towards the class-collaborationist labor was not a socialist country, but a capitalist one, albeit with a new bureaucracy, whether to adapt one's agitation to petty-bourgeois form of capitalism. This was the economic base for Stalinism nationalist prejudices, whether to see the class nature of the entire being a new form of revisionism; and it's why the Soviet regime bourgeoisie or pretend that only a small ultra-right section was became oppressive. responsible for the war-drive and other bourgeois crimes, and So, if this document were rewritten today, it would not just whether communist parties should join bourgeois governments. If criticize various of their policies, but draw a class line against the one wants to take part in building a revolutionary working-class Soviet leadership of that time, and condemn the state-capitalist movement, it isn't sufficient to simply know that the communist tyranny practiced by revisionism. Indeed, since the May, 1984 movement was subordinated to state-capitalist Stalinist regimes, issue of The Workers' Advocate, we have learned more about and that this helped corrupt it. One still has to know what the various of the betrayals and brutalities of the state-capitalist correct orientation for communist activity is. If all one knows leadership, such as the mass deportation of the entire Chechen about what is wrong with the views given in the post-World War people and of several other small nationalities and the methods II period is that the movement was subordinated to the Soviet of subjugating other parties and countries. A rewriting of this leadership, then one knows very little about how to build the document would sharply bring out the contradictions resulting working-class movement. One can't simply answer the question of from a communist movement, comprising the main forces of the what to do by saying "just be sure, whatever you decide, not to be class-conscious proletariat in various countries, that looked to a subordinated to the views and motives of this or that Stalinist hostile class force, the Stalinist leadership of the state-capitalist regime or official". Trotskyism acts in this way and devotes so bourgeoisie in the Soviet Union, as its standard-bearer. And it much effort to generalities about "socialism in one country" would also be enriched with a deeper discussion of communist because it doesn't really have a good idea of what's wrong with tactics, making use of the further experience and theoretical study Stalinism: underneath its misleading rhetorical slogans, its views since that time by the MLP, and then the Communist Voice have much in common with Stalinism. (See "An Outline of Organization. Trotskyism's Anti-Marxist Theories", at www.communistvoice. Nevertheless, the pamphlet gave a good picture of the general org/00TrotskyOutline.html, for an updated and anti-Stalinist framework for political work in capitalist countries being set critique of the basic ideas of Trotskyism.) forward in the world communist movement at that time. It didn't As well, the study of the erroneous post-World War II just describe the MLP's opinion of what was going on in the orientation underlines the need to carry forward the anti- post-World War II period, but provided extensive revisionist struggle to the end. The Stalinist-dominated movement documentation from the writings of the CPSU and other parties. sometimes claimed to be fighting revisionism; the Cominform It was part of a series of documents in the 1980s with which the often put on a "left" pose in its denunciations of imperialism; and MLP brought into the open the issues worrying the a show was made of upholding Leninist theory. But this was anti-revisionist movement of which it was a part. The MLP took pretense. It isn't sufficient to be satisfied with the milquetoast a steadfast stand against reformist treachery, no matter from what anti-revisionism of the CPUSA's reconstitution in 1945, that quarter, to the cause of building a militant and independent reversed its dissolution in 1944 by Browder, or with the Maoist working class movement. Even though mistaken on the nature of assessment of the world communist movement. A careful study of the Soviet Union in the post-World War II period and about the world communist history shows the need to uphold the real system that was eventually built up in Albania, the MLP held standpoint of Marx, Engels, and Lenin against the contortions of back nothing in providing an historical account of the views and Stalinist revisionism. And it is also necessary for activists today to practices of the world revolutionary movement, as far as it was further develop communist theory by taking account of the aware of them. In doing so, the MLP -- in company with a experience of a century of mass struggle and revolutionary handful of other courageous anti-revisionist groups and organizing since Lenin's death, analyzing new developments in the individuals around the world -- refused to be intimidated by economic and political situation of the world, and dealing with the various of its one-time friends in certain other parties, and new questions of our day. preferred to suffer protracted isolation than to hide the truth from This pamphlet's coverage of the communist movement of that the activists involved in collective struggle against capitalist time was, however, geographically limited. It dealt mainly with exploitation and tyranny. These matters were discussed by all the Soviet, French, British, and American parties; the Cominform; members and supporters of the MLP, and it was decided at MLP and the World Peace Congress. Aside from some remarks about congresses and national conferences to bring the discussion, as the Maoists, it did not deal with the Asian, Latin American, far as we could, to all the working-class activists and communists Australian, and African parties. This is not because the MLP of the world. The MLP's knowledge may have been partial, and regarded these other parties and movements as unimportant; on its analysis of world communist history a work in progress, but the contrary, the pamphlet discussed and sharply condemned the its commitment was total to developing the anti-revisionist general lack of interest of Stalin and various parties in the national struggle as a conscious activity, not of a handful of knowledge- liberation movements and other revolutionary struggles of the able people, but of the mass of communist activists and workers. oppressed peoples outside Europe. Instead this limited coverage About the Communist Voice Organization 7 1 was for the sake of bringing into sharp focus the views and Joseph Green, editor, Communist Voice practices most closely associated with Stalin and the Cominform. April 6, 2009 “